SYLVICULTURE 



Seedlings one year old are about eight inches high, when found 

 in the woods. They appear individually scattering and not in groups. 

 111. Cultured high forests : 



The cultured forest usually has the form of coppice or coppice- 

 under-standards. Plantations in the United States are made more 

 for fruit-growing than for timber-growing. The abandoned fields at 

 Biltmore seem too dry for successful development. Chestnuts 

 planted as an undergrowth below Oak and Pine have done poorly, 

 owing to the ravages of squirrels. 



The poles and trees seem to badly resent any sudden interference 

 with the leaf canopy and with the humus. 



Thinnings and cuttings in the shelterwood system should be light. 

 The competition of stoolshoots invariably formed after cuttings 

 reduces the prospects of seedlings simultaneously obtained. Stool- 

 shoots cannot be entirely prevented by deadening previous to cutting. 

 Chestnut produces a splendid humus and is an excellent com- 

 panion for Oaks, Hickories, Walnut, Black Cherry, Ash and Yellow 

 Poplar; also for White Pine and Hemlock. It regenerates in mixture 

 witli Yellow Poplar on small abandoned fields of Pisgah Forest to a 

 limited degree. 



Seed years: Fairly good mast in 1898. 



On the mountain tops, where Chestnut stands in an orchard-like 

 position, seed occurs annually. 

 C. Hickories : 



I. Primeval forest : The Hickories appear regenerated in the 

 selection type and in the group type. 



II. Culled high forest: The Hickories sutler badly from fires. 

 Fires do not kill the poles, but cause the butts to burst subjecting 

 them to decay. Weeding and heavy improvement cuttings are bene- 

 ficial. 



III. Cultured high forest: 



From the early pole stage on, the crowns should be placed in 

 a free position so as to cause the formation of wide rings. 



At Biltmore,- the boles are apt to be very branchy, the tough 

 limbs being very persistent. 



In the mountains, on stronger soil, the boles clear themselves 

 readily. 



The Hickories regenerate by n. s. r. in abandoned fields in mix- 

 ture with Black Gum, Sassafras. Yellow Poplar, Locust, Oaks, etc. 



In the plantations on abandoned fields at Biltmore, Bitternnt 

 alone promises to be successful. The other species are badly handi- 

 capped by rodents and seem to be of very slow growth. 



The Hickories seem to be immune from damage by frost in their 

 native country; not so in Germany. 



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