IQO: 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION. 



571 



der to assist the selected trees by the 

 removal of all inferior and diseased ones. 

 The thinning should be done more 

 among the dominating and dominated 

 trees than among those which have fallen 

 far behind in the race, although the 

 latter may be allowed to remain to as- 

 sist in the protection of the soil or as 

 wind-breaks. 



If the w^oodlot in question does not 

 consist of a pure stand of White Pine, 

 but is intermixed with hardwoods, the 

 plan of thinning must be slightly 

 changed. 



The most important tree, which in 

 this case is the White Pine, must be 

 favored in every way possible. Inferior 

 hardwoods may be allowed to remain 

 for a certain length of time to act as 

 nurses for the 3'oung pines, but after 

 their period of usefulness for this pur- 

 pose is past they should be removed. 

 This removal should not be done too 

 rapidly, as in many cases shade is bene- 

 ficial, and the pines will not stand a too 

 rapid opening of the forest cover. After 

 the inferior trees have been removed 

 and the pines have firmly established 

 themselves thinning ma}' be commenced . 



What hardwood species are allowed 

 to remain depends largely upon the com- 

 mercial value of the different kinds of 

 wood. Perhaps the trees to be favored 

 next to the White Pine, in a mixed for- 

 est, are the White Oak and Chestnut, 

 both of which are healthy and vigorous 

 trees of high commercial value. 



In a farm woodlot of considerable size 

 the whole area need not be thinned in 

 one wdnter, as this would cause the 

 owner needless expen.se. Let him cut 

 out gradually the timber he may need 

 for firewood and fence posts, and within 

 a few years his whole stand will be 

 cleared. In some cases it may be neces- 

 sary to lay out a small sum per acre for 

 this work, but the added rapidity of 

 growth and the consequent increased 

 value of the trees will in the end more 

 than compensate for the money ex- 

 pended. Extreme care should be taken 

 that the remaining trees and under- 

 growth are not injured by the removal 

 of the timber and bru.shwood. 



Thinning, if carefully carried on, is 

 of great value in the production of high- 



grade timber. It affords a means of 

 directing the growth of the wood, either 

 towards the production of the greatest 

 quantity or the best possible qualit>-. 

 Further, it preserves a suitable propor- 

 tion of species in dealing with mixed 

 woods. The danger from insects and 

 fire is lessened by the prompt removal of 

 dead and diseased trees, and thinning 

 strengthens the selected trees against 

 the injurious effects of wind and snow. 



EX.\MPLE OF BAD PRUNING ; STUMPS OF 

 BRANCHES LEFT. 



When it is the farmer's object to pro- 

 duce the best quality of timber that is, 

 long, clear boles it is necessary that the 

 trees should lose their side branches to a 

 certain height from the ground. The 



trees 



growing 



in 



lower branches of 



crowded woods die naturally, owing: 



