48 IMPORTANT TIMBER TREES 



growth of many of our valuable timber trees to determine 

 when to make the second planting. Some species grow 

 slowly in early life and others rapidly during that period, 

 and the growth of all is more or less controlled by char- 

 acter and conditions of soil and other surroundings. We 

 have no need for guesswork when we know that under like 

 conditions members of each species make practically the 

 same growth in the same time. By planting a pure stand 

 we know we can control the growth of trees to an almost 

 absolute certainty, and such control is of more value than 

 a possible avoidance of disease, or a possible injury to the 

 forest floor ; and with our present dearth of knowledge of 

 the peculiarities of the rapidity of growth of our timber trees 

 it will be safe to plant in pure stands, or in mixed stands of 

 equal rapidity of growth. Different species may be put in 

 clumps or clusters, but even then such as may be so planted 

 would best be of substantially the same rapidity of growth, 

 so that the forest will mature evenly and can be harvested 

 on a systematic -rotation. 1 



1 An illustration of the result of mingling fast-growing species with slow- 

 growing ones recently came under the author's observation. Several rows of 

 Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata) and Southern Hard Maples of the same 

 age had been set ont in alternate rows, about five feet apart, in an aban- 

 doned field, at the same time. The Maples had grown vigorously and were 

 from ten to twelve feet high, but the associated Pines were substantially 

 all dead, and what few were left were stunted and sickly. Only fifteen 

 feet from the outside row of Maples were several rows of Pines, stand- 

 ing alone, which were of the same age as the others and had been planted 

 at the same time, and they were vigorous and fully seven feet high. The 

 only difference in treatment had been that when alone the Pines had no 

 faster growing companions to suppress them with shade or rob them of food 

 or moisture. 



