124 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



tically all the woodlots are damaged by (3.) Avoiding Waste. In this con- 



fire, grazing, poor conditions for growth, nection may be mentioned the use of 



often by insects or disease, so that better and more carefu 1 methods in the 



today practically no woodlot is as woods: cutting low stumps; working 



thrifty as it should be. When the good up all material in tops and limbs; work- 



farm land was cleared, then the poorer ing everything into its most profitable 



lands were attacked, and this continued, form; taking care not to injure remain- 



until today we find thousands of acres ing trees when cutting or hauling in the 



which, being best adapted to forest woods, etc. All this is closely connected 



growth, should never have been cleared, with 



On the other hand, wet lands, a little (4.) Cuttings made of standing tim- 



difficult to handle becuase in need of ber, in such a way as to improve condi- 



draining, were mostly left uncleared, tions. While to be discussed more in 



and frequently we find the best land on detail under the subject of management, 



the farms under woods. Nor was any these are broadly divided into (1) im- 



notice taken of the value of woods for provement cuttings, in which the prin- 



windbreaks, etc. cipal aim is the removal of those trees 



So there is no fixed relation between which should be cut for the benefit of 



the actual location of the woodlot and the remaining stand; and (2) reproduc- 



the location which would give the tion cuttings, in which the main idea is 



fullest possible benefits of an equal area to secure a new crop from seed of the 



of woodlot on the farm. most desirable species. 



Now, all these conditions have (5.) Planting or sowing either on 



changed. It is certain that intelligent the open waste places; or in existing 



and careful management of land, best woodlots, where these are too open, or 



adapted for the woodlot, will prove a where they contain too great a 



profitable investment. This investment proportion of inferior species; or for 



will generally consist of time and labor, windbreak or aesthetic effects, etc. 



which otherwise would be less profitably Planting is very closely related to the 



employed or else would lie idle (winter relocation or change in area of the wood- 



work); and in the foregoing of certain lot, where necessary to secure the best 



present cash returns when trees, which results from a given area of woodlot 



might be sold, are left to grow; and to a that is, where the sum total of all the 



limited extent, in actual outlay of factors of value, as enumerated prev- 



money, for trees to plant, in marking iously, is the greatest. 



trees for cutting, or in other extra work (6.) A plan of regulating the cut 



in woodlot improvement. may be to secure a certain amount of 



material of given quality and size every 



A PROGRAM OF MANAGEMENT. Qr ^ * Qg ^r Ms. A plan for 



What is practical in forestry for the an equal annual cut is rarely practicable 



ordinary farm or estate in any given in ordinary woodlots, as now found, 



case must, of course, dep-nd on the because the area under management is 



specific conditions involved. In gen- too small and its condition too poor. 



eral, the application of management However, it is practicable to aim for an 



will be in about this order : annual cut not to exceed the annual 



(1.) Protection, principally against growth ; or for a cut less than the annual 



fire, often against grazing; and to a growth, accumulating a reserve fund for 



lessor extent, against diseases and insect larger timbers to be cut at more or less 



attacks. Protection is closely connected definite intervals. Where possible, this 



involves a definite system of forest 



(2.) Damage cuttings of watse ma- management. 

 terial on the ground, dead or dying 



trees, etc., which make the worst fire FACTORS OF GROWTH. 



traps, _ and breeding places for diseases. All tree growth, like other vegetation 



This, in nearly every case, can be done is governed by the environment in 



at a profit, as the material yielded will which found. This is true of individual 



pay for the labor. trees, of species, and of types or com- 



