SYLVICULTURE 



B. Beech: 



Beech coppice yields firewood only, charcoal and so-called retort- 

 wood for dry distillation. 



The sprouting capacity of the Beech invites short rotations. 

 Strong soil is required. 



C. Hickory: 



Hickory coppice promises good financial results on strong soil 

 only. Fires must be strictly kept in check, owing to the heavy scars 

 which they inflict on Hickory. Rotations of about twenty years, low 

 stumps and winter cutting seem required. 



On Biltmore soil, stumps over six inches in diameter usually re- 

 fuse to sprout. 



D. Locust: 



Locust coppice densely planted on old fields seems to be a good 

 investment, although the poles thus produced consist of sappy wood 

 undesirable for fence posts. The young shoots suffer from a pith- 

 boring moth ( Ecdytolopha species ) . 



The sprouting capacity is very good, helped by the ready forma- 

 tion of rootsuckers. 



In Germany, wagon stock is obtained in rotations of twenty years. 



E. Chestnut: 



Chestnut is the American species best adapted for the coppice 

 forest. Stumps of any diameter emit sprouts. A rotation of twenty 

 to forty years will yield vineyard stakes, hop poles, telephone poles, 

 posts, rails, ties and wood for the extraction of tannic acid; a 

 rotation of five years is said to be used for the production of hoop 

 poles for barrel hoops. 



The European complaint does not seem warranted in America 

 that rotations exceeding twenty years invite a disease known as 

 "heart-rot." 



In Alsace-Lorraine, thinnings take place in the tenth year; the 

 cut is made in early winter, and the stumps are sometimes pro- 

 tected from the influence of frost by heaps of brush. In the Appa- 

 lachians, such precautions are not called for. It is unnecessary, if 

 not unwise, to reduce the number of sprouts starting from one stump 

 artificially. Spring cutting and high stumps are objectionable. 



On diy and impoverished soil, or under the regime of fires, 

 Chestnut coppice is hopelessly lost. 



F. Cottonwood: 



Coppice forest of Cottonwood 1 produces match stock and pulpwood. 

 The stumps have little vitality and will not endure more than four 

 rotations of twenty years each. Very low stumps are required to 



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