CULTIVATION OF COPPICES. 101 



This writer points ont various reasons that should prevent late thin- 

 ning of evergreen plantations, among which are the insufficiency of 

 roots in trees closely planted, and which are not able to support them 

 when exposed to the winds, the injury that the sun may cause upon the 

 trunks and branches that have been accustomed to the shade, and the 

 effect upon the roots when the ground is too much exposed ; although 

 all of these parts may in time become accustomed to these different con- 

 ditions. He regards the thinning of such forests a delicate and dan- 

 gerous operation, except when practiced while young, and mentions 

 some forests in splendid condition, which had scarcely been trimmed at 

 all. In one the trees stood 9 feet apart on an average, some as far as 

 15 feet, and others as close as 2 feet. The market-value of such a forest, 

 if the trees were all sound, would be at least £300 per acre. The ground 

 was a light, sandy gravel and very poor. He advises that all thinning 

 should be begun before the side branches touch each other, and that it 

 be continued till they are 8 feet apart, after which he would leave them 

 to nature to complete their growth. 



As to the larch, our author remarks, " It gains the most by thinning 

 and suffers least from it. It is very impatient of confinement, and en- 

 joys freedom although it comes late. On the baie, pole-like trees that 

 are left, lateral branches will form beyond anything witnessed in other 

 forest-trees. Unless the trees are sound and healthy, however, no lateral 

 growth will take place by thinning." He mentions some stumps of this 

 tree that had remained alive more than twenty years after cutting, with- 

 out being able to account for the phenomenon. He regards the two 

 greatest errors of foresters as " being too late in commencing to thin, 

 and continuing the operation too long. It does much good if done early, 

 and equally much harm if done lat€." 



ON THE CULTIVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF COPPICES. 



The coppice is a growth of timber of various deciduous kinds, from the 

 stumps of a former growth, and is usually cut before maturity, at inter- 

 vals of from ten to forty years, according to circumstances and the uses 

 to which the product is to be applied. This mode of cultivation is in 

 great favor for the growth of fire- wood, and the smaller woods used in 

 various industries, and is the means by which tanning materials are 

 often produced from the oak, where reliance is necessarily had upon this 

 means for supplies. The coppice of short periods produces hoop-poles, 

 and the stakes and vine-props so much used in vine-growing countries, 

 and in many parts of this country may be able to supply, with but little 

 care beyond protection, the fencing material and other woods required 

 for farm purposes. It is destined to be in future of great importance in 

 the growing of poplars for paper-making. 



The trees that sprout best from the stock are the ashes, elms, oaks, 

 poplars, cottonwoods, willows, chestnut, linden, mountain ash, maples, 

 sycamore, birches, alders, and hazel. The beech will reproduce but 

 slightly, except in very favorable conditions, and the conifers not at all, 

 with the single exception of the California redwood. Whatever may be 

 the effect upon the durability of the timber by cutting at particular 

 seasons, we have in case of coppice growth no alternative choice, and 

 must cut in winter, and by preference toward the approach of warm 

 •weather, but before the sap starts, as at this time alone will the stumps 

 be in best condition for sending up a vigorous crop of young shoots. 

 The months of February, March, and first part of April are generally 

 best for this labor. 



