16 REFORESTATION IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



or others, if allowed to remain in its present condition. Na- 

 ture intends that this land should remain in forest growth, but 

 through inconsiderate cutting it has come up to an undergrowth 

 of small value. It is always preferable to restock this type of 

 land as soon as possible after it has been cut, as the sprout and 

 hardwood growths, if allowed to gain too great a headway, will 

 hold the seedlings in check. 



Burnt-over Land (Fig. 10). 



On land which has been subjected to repeated fires, destroying 

 the growth and ground cover, the soil is left free to the action of 

 the weather, to be quickly dried out by the sun, or, if on a side 

 hill, to be washed into the valley by rains. The seed or seed- 

 lings which may have been on the ground have been destroyed, 

 and the land might lie for a long period of years before it would 

 reseed itself naturally. Land of this type, therefore, should be 

 set with considerable care, in order to obtain the best results. 

 It is generally advisable to set a three-year-old or four-year-old 



transplant here, rather than seedlings. 







Run-out Pasture Land (Figs. 11 and 12). 



Many of the farms throughout the State are becoming run 

 out, and are allowed to grow up to brush and undesirable hard- 

 woods. Pasture lands especially are being encroached upon by 

 some of our less valuable trees, such as bird cherry and gray 

 birch, which so overshade the ground that good pasturage runs 

 out, and the lot is abandoned for fields affording better forage. 

 In many cases scattering white pine have crept in, and probably 

 in time would seed in the whole piece ; but the old trees, while 

 doing good work in reseeding, would be of little value, as, grow- 

 ing so scattered, they would develop large lateral branches, in- 

 stead of giving a clear, straight bole to the trunk, so desirable in 

 the best grade of lumber. If the lot could be set out with seed- 

 lings and the trees allowed to grow in sufficiently dense stands, 

 the lower branches would die off naturally, and smooth, clear 

 lumber would be assured. 



