26 



The best developed species in the plantation are European larch, 

 white pine, green, ash, and black walnut. These have formed straight, 

 clear stems, due largely to close spacing and to pruning. Though 

 the stand of larch, except that portion previously mentioned, which 

 has failed because of insufficient drainage, is excellent, the crowns are 

 neither large enough nor heavy enough to exclude the light, and in 

 consequence the ground beneath bears a thick growth of weeds, grass, 

 and underbrush. This, however, is held in check by cutting, and 

 the trees are healthy. 



White pine is the only species which has established and main- 

 tained a good forest floor. The ground is covered with needles and 

 only a small amount of underbrush has come up. Sugar maple has 

 partially succeeded in establishing forest conditions, but only in 

 small isolated areas is this the case with the other species. 



Scotch pine has made a good diameter growth, but apparently has 

 reached its limit in this respect. The stems are clear but crooked. 

 Austrian pine is practically a failure. Some of the Norway spruce 

 have died, and others are in poor condition. There are, however, 

 a number of good trees, and the species shows its superiority to 

 Scotch pine. Common catalpa has failed. The trees are badly 

 formed and affected with rot. Hardy catalpa has made good diame- 

 ter growth, but the stand is not dense enough to give straight stems. 

 Several cases of frost crack occur. Osage orange is in open stand 

 and the trees are very crooked. Black walnut has made good 

 growth, but butternut is in bad shape. White elm, basswood, honey 

 locust, silver and sugar maple, and boxelder have all done well. 

 Bur oak has made slow growth, but the trees are in excellent condi- 

 tion and at present would give from 2 to 3 posts each. Ailanthus 

 has failed. Most of the trees have frozen back, and it is doubtful if 

 any of those measured were original members of the plantation. 

 Hickory includes both shellbark and big shellbark. When 3 years 

 old some of the trees were transplanted to rows 4 by 8 feet apart, 

 while the remainder were thinned to 4 by 4 feet. At present the 

 transplanted trees are slightly larger in diameter, but shorter in 

 height than the others. All are in good condition, but the rate of 

 growth, which has been slow, would undoubtedly have been greater 

 had sufficient cultivation been given. 



THINNING A FOREST PLANTATION. 



By the choice of species and by correctly spacing and thinning a 

 forest plantation the owner can, within certain limits, produce any 

 class of material he desires. With a knowledge of local requirements, 

 the selection of proper species and the determination of spacing should 

 not be difficult. Thinning, however, is much more complicated, and 



[Cir. 81] 



