Protecting Woodlands from Injury 



What is popularly known as "brush" in the farm 

 woodlands is not always undesirable. It is made up 

 very largely of the young growth of the hardwood 

 trees. No forest can maintain itself long without re- 

 production. This young growth is needed to replace 

 the old trees which die or are cut out. For the sake 

 of getting a little green grass in the spring, it is the 

 short-sighted practice in hundreds of localities to fire 

 the woods regularly. This results in killing of thou- 

 sands of small trees needed to continue the forest in 

 the future and also injures a large amount of market- 

 able timber. Furthermore, such burning destroys a 

 large amount of rich vegetable fertilizer. 



Cattle and hogs in hardwood stands keep the forest 

 from being restocked. Damage from insects can be 

 reduced by cutting timber at the proper time of year 

 and by using lightning-killed trees without delay, 

 since they harbor destructive pests. Cattle destroy 

 the protective leaf mulch which keeps the trees grow- 

 ing during the long, dry spells. All large openings 

 where light comes through into the forests should be 

 filled with younger trees. Fully stocked woods con- 

 tain little or no grass, but afford full shade, which 

 prevents the soil drying out and keeps the trees 

 growing. 



Does It Pay to Cut Young Pine? 



The following data on a young southern yellow 

 pine, left on the land of the Urania Lumber Com- 

 pany of Louisiana and measured by Prof. Chapman 



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