14 IMPROVEMENT THINNINGS IN 



the conifers, as they do not hold as much poison as the broad- 

 leaved trees. Also, where pine stands have a small scattering of 

 deciduous growth mixed with them, they may be spared from the 

 ravages of the gypsy moth by removing all deciduous trees, and in 

 that way insure the owner permanent protection, providing he pro- 

 tects the border of the coniferous growth. 



It might be well to mention that the brown-tail caterpillars will 

 not feed upon the coniferous growth. 



Within any part of the State where there is danger of a moth 

 infestation, the woodland owner will not only improve the condi- 

 tion and growth of his forests by thinning, but will be in a position 

 to combat these pests in a more effective and economical measure 

 than otherwise. 



EXPERIMENTAL WORK. 



The office commenced this fall to make some permanent sample 

 plots, with the purpose of obtaining data on the growth of thinned 

 stands. 



The first of these plots was in a sprout chestnut stand of thirty 

 years' growth, situated near the bottom slopes of the northeast face 

 of a rocky hill. The soil is thin, but fertile and moist. The sample 

 plot covered % acre, and within this area the trees to be removed 

 in the thinning were blazed. All the trees were then calipered, the 

 blazed trees being noted separately from the others, with the result 

 that the total stand on the % acre amounted to 15 cords of chestnut 

 and 2 cords of miscellaneous wood. The following table represents 

 the tally sheet, and shows the different species and their proportion 

 in the mixed growth. The trees in Class II. are those that were 

 marked for thinning. 



