SILVICULTURE. 167 



It is, of course, the only method applicable where 

 the forest crop is to be started anew on abandoned 

 fields, on the forestless prairies and plains, on the 

 burnt areas which have grown up to useless 

 brush, in short, where no old crop of desirable 

 species is on the ground. Where an old crop of 

 desirable kinds is already on the ground, the same 

 method of clearing followed by artificial reforesta- 

 tion may be employed, but there is also a choice 

 of producing the new crop by seeds falling from 

 the trees of the old crop, by "natural regen- 

 eration." 



This method is the one by which nature main- 

 tains the forest. As trees grow old, decay, and 

 fall, an opening is made into which the neighbor- 

 ing trees throw their seeds and fill up the gap with 

 a new seedling growth. The forester profits from 

 this observation, and with the recognition of the 

 laws under which forest growth develops, as 

 detailed in the preceding chapter, he gives merely 

 direction to this development in such a manner as 

 to reduce the unfavorable and increase the favor- 

 able conditions of development for whatever kinds 

 he may desire to propagate, avoiding the use of 

 the planting tool, and managing to secure the 

 reproduction and development of the young crop 

 by the mere use of the axe in the old crop. But 

 he uses the axe differently from the lumberman. 



The lumberman, the first exploiter of the mixed 

 virgin forest, treats it like a mine from which he 



