INVESTIGATIONS IN WHITE PINE PLANTATIONS. 23 



only 10.7 inches. The native pine, on the other hand, increased its 

 height at a steadily accelerating rate during the entire eighteen years, 

 the List, your showing the greatest increase of all except the fifteenth. 



There are other differences between the planted and native forests 

 in this particular case which do not appear in the tables. The present 

 condition of the native is better than that of the planted; the crowns 

 are larger, and the last growth is more vigorous. But the stems of 

 the planted portion are freer of large branches and hence will make 

 better timber. Again, the average diameter of the native tree was 

 considerably greater than that of planted trees of the same age on 

 most of the tract. 



The crowded condition of the planted trees explains these facts. In 

 parts of the plantation where thinning relieved this condition a very 

 different state of things appeared. Here the diameter of trees several 

 years younger was greater than that of either the planted or the 

 native trees measured foi; Tables s and 0, and the height growth also 

 was proportionately improved. 



IMPORTANT FACTS ILLUSTRATED IN THE ADAMS PLANTATION. 



Some of the more important points brought out in the planted 

 forest of Mr. Adams are as follows: 



(1) Seedlings collected from the forest, when properly treated, grow 

 successfully. a 



('2) Ten dollars per 1,000 is too high a price to pay for trees when 

 planting for commercial purposes. 



(3) Watering seedlings is impracticable. 



(4) Unless the demand for small timber is great, it is not advisable 

 to plant so closely as 4 by 4 feet, for the first thinning can not be 

 made except at an expense which it is unwise to incur. 



(5) If 3- or 4-inch stuff can be sold for fuel or other purposes at a 

 price that will pay for the cutting, close planting may be advan- 

 tageous. 



((>) The growth of planted pine is considerably greater than that 

 of native pine under similar conditions for at least the first twenty 

 years, and probably for several years longer, where the trees are not 

 greatly crowded. 



(7) Planting at 4 by 4 feet causes a decrease in growth between the 

 fifteenth and the thirtieth year. Shortly after that time the best trees 

 become dominant, and resume a rapid growth, while a large percent- 

 age become suppressed and die. 



(8) Closely planted trees produce the straightest and cleanest boles, 

 and hence timber of the finest quality. 



a Experience elsewhere shows that it is not necessary to leave a portion of sod 

 a* 1 1 1 < Ting to each seedling. If the earth he carefully shaken off, and the roots puddled 

 in u mixture of rich earth and water to prevent drying, as good results are obtained, 

 and at much less expense. 



