6 INTRODUCTION. 



divides into two or more main branches at or near the 

 ground. 



A tree consists of three parts, the stool, tlie bole and the 

 crown : — 



Stool means that part which remains in the ground after a 

 tree has been felled close to the ground ; it comprises the 

 whole of the root system and the lower end of the stem up to 

 the point where it emerges from the ground, or a short distance 

 above the surface. 



Bole means the stem, or trunk, of the tree from the ground 

 to the point where it divides into a number of main branches. 

 The lower part of the bole, which is free of any branches, is 

 called the clear hole. In many cases, bole and clear bole are 

 identical. 



Crown means the whole system of branches and that part 

 of the main stem which is above the clear bole. In some 

 cases, where side branches have been developed below the 

 upper end of the bole, the crown and bole overlap each 

 other. 



A tree or shrub may start as a seedling, stoolshoot, sucker, 

 or layer : — 



Seedling means a tree or shrub which has sprung up from 

 seed. 



Stoolshoot means a shoot which has sprung up from the 

 stool of a tree or shrub previously cut down. 



Sucker, or rootsucker, means a shoot which has sprung up 

 from a root. 



Tjui/er means a branch which has been bent down, partly 

 buried in the soil, and which has developed roots of its own ; 

 it may subsequently be severed from the mother plant and 

 develop into an independent tree or shrub. 



AVith regard to the age of trees and woods, the following 

 stages may be distinguished, when the trees have emerged 

 from that of seedlings. 



Thicket means a dense crop of young trees from the time 

 when the branches commence interlacin"^ until the time when 



