1 68 Studies in Forestry [CHAP. vin. 



influence on their development and ultimate remunerativeness. 

 Crowded woods have practically no greater total enjoyment of 

 light, warmth, atmospheric food, and soil-nutriment than less 

 densely packed crops growing in closed canopy ; and as the 

 production of timber is distributed over a smaller number of 

 individual stems, the share which each is capable of receiving 

 is greater than when the total of the available food-supplies has 

 to be divided by the larger number. At the same time, in close- 

 canopied, but not crowded, woods, the natural selection of the 

 predominating stems to form the future mature crop proceeds 

 more rapidly, as the individuals of forward growth utilize some- 

 what above their average share of light, &c., and consequently 

 have a larger annual increment, than if the struggle for life and 

 domination were more prolonged by having to be waged against 

 a larger number of individuals of equal vigour. Where, owing 

 to wide planting, the canopy is not of full normal density, the 

 productive capacity of the soil and of the atmosphere is not 

 utilized economically; hence a loss in timber takes place, which 

 might easily be avoided. The earlier the young growth forms 

 close canopy, the thinner are the branches formed, and the 

 sooner do they die and drop off. A normal density of canopy 

 therefore increases the technical value of timber by the pro- 

 duction of clean boles having a high form-factor and approxi- 

 mating, more than otherwise would be the case, to the 

 cylindrical shape represented by i-o. All crops intended for 

 timber production should, therefore, be maintained in close 

 canopy till they have entered the pole-forest stage of growth. 

 This is more particularly important with coniferous trees, whose 

 technical, and consequently monetary, value is dependent, to 

 a considerable extent, on freedom from hard horny branches 

 and knots. And it is of course all the more necessary in the 

 case of shade-bearing genera, whose lower branches are longer 

 retentive of life. Where, therefore, the early attainment of full 

 normal canopy can be achieved without special outlay at the 

 time of the young crop being formed, it is undoubtedly of great 



