294 FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 



ested is suitable for grazing purposes and once the soil cover of 

 leaves is opened up will produce a growth of grass even under 

 quite a stand of trees. The custom too often is to allow stock 

 to roam over open pastures and through woodland, which re- 

 sults in gradually opening up even a dense stand and helping the 

 advance of grass throughout the wooded area to the exclusion 

 of reproduction. 



It should not be inferred that a reduction of the number of 

 grazing animals is advised in order to prevent damage to the 

 forest. Such a course is wholly unnecessary since in most cases 

 excluding the stock from the forested areas will not make neces- 

 sary any reduction in numbers. The feed secured under forest 

 trees is not equal to that obtained on a well-kept pasture, and 

 its loss is often not felt at all. However, should the feed outside 

 the forest be insufficient to support the stock, the best site now 

 forested should be cleared and put into pasture. Better eco- 

 nomic results will be secured by not using the same piece of 

 land for the two purposes. Inferior timber production in both 

 quantity and quality is the result of grazing in woodlands. 

 Poorer forage is the result of keeping pasture forested.^ The 

 owner should determine for which purpose the site is most needed 

 and then devote it to that purpose unreservedly. 



The influence of grazing animals is felt especially on fields 

 not cultivated but still used for pasture. A few animals pas- 

 tured in such a field may not be able to wholly keep down the 

 hardwood reproduction which is striving to come in, but they 

 will be able to hinder the process of reseeding, and to make 

 the new forest patchy and composed of limby, big-crowned trees 

 of inferior lumber value. Under such circumstances a portion 

 of the field just large enough for their needs should be fenced off 

 for the cattle, and the rest of the field allowed to come up to a 

 thick stand of trees. 



In this way a good pasture and a good forest will result, 



1 As a matter of fact the pastures as well as the woodlands are not scientifically 

 handled in the region. That, however, is outside the present discussion. The 

 reader is referred to Circular No. 49, of the U. S. Bureau of Plant Industry. 



