138 ELEMENTS OF STLYICULTUEE . 



in high forests. Lastly, just as in simple coppice, 

 private proprietors may find it to their interest to 

 reserve a certain number of aspen and birch when 

 of good growth. 



Only well-shaped standards must be selected, i. e., 

 those which combine with a sufficient length of 

 bole a proportionate diameter and a well- developed 

 crown. This latter quality, in the case of first class 

 standards chosen from a complete canopy, can always 

 be ascertained by an examination of the foot. A tree 

 whose foot spreads out freely in every direction at 

 the point where it enters the ground, is a vigorous 

 tree. 



First class standards ought to be selected ex- 

 clusively from among straight trees. There is 

 always a sufficiently large number which bend down 

 after isolation to meet the demands of the dockyard 

 in "knees;" this point requires attention only in 

 the case of second and third class standards. It is 

 also from among the latter that trees must be re- 

 served possessing thick branches which will furnish 

 curved timber for ship-building. But for this pur- 

 pose the trunk and the branch must be in one and 

 the same plane. 



With respect to trees of which the trunk separates 

 at no great height into two or three branches very 

 nearly parallel, their reservation as standards is 

 undesirable. They cannot as a rule resist violent 

 winds, and in working them up, much wood is 

 wasted, and there is no special use to which they 

 can be put. 



NUMBEE OF STANDAEDS. On account of their 



