12 



winter cutting is not always desirable. The stumps should be cut as 

 low as possible and left with a slanting surface, so that water will run 

 off readily. The lower the stumps, the less danger there will be of 

 the sprout being broken by wind and the quicker the new tree will 

 form independent roots of its own. The oaks, ashes, mulberry, bass- 

 wood, walnuts, and hickories may be very readily reproduced by 

 stump sprouts, and the trees so formed are straighter and of more 

 rapid growth, and the wood is as durable as that from trees which 

 have grown directly from seed. A woodlot constantly reproduced in 

 this way will gradually run out as the vigor of the original stumps 

 fail and must eventually be replaced by trees from seed naturally 

 sown or from planted seed or seedlings. 



The exclusion of fire and stock will favor the natural seeding of 

 the woodlot from trees already standing on the ground. If the 

 ground is covered by heavy sod or herbaceous growth, natural seed- 

 ing can be greatly aided by stirring up the soil with plow or mattock 

 just before a crop of seed falls, so that the seeds may reach the mineral 

 soil. This method of reproduction is slow, however, and with the 

 small areas occupied by woodlots it is feasible to plant the open spaces 

 with seedlings of the desired species, and thus shorten the rotation of 

 the crop, and hence increase the returns. 



Artificial reproduction by seeding and planting. Usually where a 

 stand of walnut, butternut, or red oak is desired, the nuts or acorns 

 may be planted directly where the tree is to stand. Spring plant- 

 ing of nuts and acorns is more advisable than fall planting, provided 

 the nuts are properly stored during the winter. If spaces to be 

 restocked are of large size the seeds may be planted 6 feet apart each 

 way in regular rows, or irregularly so that in the ultimate stand, 

 including large trees, the spacing is approximately 6 by 6 feet or a 

 little greater. The precaution should be taken to plant seeds of trees 

 which will endure more or less shade. 



If it is desired to underplant the woodlot with conifers or some of 

 the quicker growing hardwoods, like honey locust or catalpa, seed- 

 lings from 1 to 4 years old should be used. Seedlings should be spaced 

 as suggested for seeding. Some of the best trees for underplanting, 

 besides those already mentioned, are white pine, white spruce, hem- 

 lock, sugar maple, hackberry, and hardy catalpa. 



IMPROVEMENT THINNINGS. If after the young seedlings in a wood- 

 lot are well started they are left entirely to themselves, the struggle 

 for light and space will be so great that many good specimens of the 

 most valuable species will be killed out and such worthless weed trees 

 as ironwood, blue beech, hawthorn, and prickly ash, through their 

 ability to reproduce and grow in shade, will thrive in their place. If 

 at that time a little judicious thinning is done, nature will be greatly 

 aided in her production of valuable material. Too often the best 



[Cir. 154] 



