2 2 FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 



are either overmature or have been so damaged that desirable 

 natural reproduction is impossible, and wherever intensive man- 

 agement is possible. 



Graves recognizes three systems of clear cutting with artifi- 

 cial reproduction, but as they are practically identical except for 

 the area cut over, these various modifications need not be con- 

 sidered in this book. 



2. Clear Cutting with Natural Reproduction. 



The success of this method depends on the thoroughness with 

 which the area is seeded from trees standing on the border of, 

 or scattered over, the cut area. Naturally, it can be used with 

 Jight-seeded trees only. The completeness of the seeding is 

 proportional to the area cut and the ability of the seed to be 

 carried long distances. For example, the method on a large cut- 

 over area would be much more successful with poplar than with 

 spruce. 



a. Clear Cutting the Whole Stand. 



If the cutting is made just after a seed year, there may be 

 enough seed on the ground to warrant cutting off the whole 

 stand. Occasionally one finds a place where a pine or a spruce 

 stand happened to be cut at such a time, and a dense growth of 

 seedlings has resulted. 



Very often a mature stand of timber may be surrounded by 

 younger stands which would naturally be left for a number of 

 years. If such a mature stand is cut clean the area will be seeded 

 in for a considerable distance on all sides from the surrounding 

 younger stands; and if this cut-over area is not too large it will 

 be completely reseeded in this way. 



h. Reserving Blocks of Trees. 



When the clear-cutting system is to be used on extensive areas 

 some provision must be made for reproduction by leaving a 

 sufficient number of seed trees. In many locahties, and espe- 

 cially with shallow-rooted trees, there is great danger of windfall 



