volume is concerned. Only 40 acres were found 

 in the Peoples Forest having a density of 70% 

 or more. These areas had 345 trees per 

 acre 5" and over in diameter. In other words 

 most of the forest has less than 60% of the 

 number of trees which the land could support 

 an average of ISO trees 5" and over per acre. 

 Of course in all stands under 40 years of age 

 there are a good many trees under 5." A study 

 of the oak type in Connecticut made some years 

 ago 1 showed that at age 40 the number of trees 

 per acre vary in fully stocked stands from 400 to 

 650 according to the soil. There are always 

 fewer trees of a given age on the best soils 

 because the growth there is faster and the com- 

 petition there has been keener. Even at the age 

 of 70 years, the number varies from 220 to 275 

 per acre. Similar studies made in Connecticut 

 hemlock stands 2 showed that the number of trees 

 per acre should vary from 830 to 1,525 at age 40 ; 

 and from 230 to 525 at age 70. 



It must be borne in mind that the growth 

 figures given above are for the whole life of the 

 forest. No studies of the present rate of growth 

 were made, but it is probable that the thinning 

 resulting from the death of the chestnut is pro- 

 ducing a better growth at present. These growth 

 figures should not be taken as indicative of the 

 growth of the forest in the future under proper 

 management, since the growth can be further 



1 Second Growth Hardwoods in Connecticut by E. H. Froth- 

 ingham, Bui. 96, Forest Service, U. S. Dept. Agr. 1912. 



2 Hemlock Its place in the Silviculture of the Southern New 

 England Forest, by P. H. Merrill and R. C. Hawley, Yale Univ. 

 School of Forestry Bui. 12, 1924. 



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