this period. Species fliffer materially. A 5 f Scotch pine makes a cover, 

 tills the ground and Tnakes mulch. The ground gets a little shade. 



. Larger and older trees continue the sme notion. The indi- 

 vidual tree does not influence the ground outside of its own reach. 



2. Stand of Trees. 



a. Stand of seedlings: varies with the density of the seedlings. 

 \Vhen seedlings are planted 4 f apart they do not take up much room, pro- 

 "b^bly not over Q.l/t of the total area. Seedlings do not help the soil 

 except in a dense stand. In dense stocking, the sfcand shades the soil, 

 the leaves make mulch, the roots till the soil, and there is some slight 

 protection from snow. A dozen seedlings per square foot can produce these 

 effects; then they begin to help the soil. 



b. Stand of young trees 3-3.0 feet tall: have a large amount of 

 growth; much organic stuff ia produced each year. Consider the proportion 

 of leaves and twigs to the total growth in the young and the old tree: 

 does the yo mg stand do more for the land than the old stand? 



The young stand forms a densr cover close to the ground, and shel- 

 ter? it from rnin, wind, sun, snow, and reduces the waste of water. 



The care of the soil by the young stand is good. In this respect 

 compare scotch pine and spruce, and these with locust, ash and elm (not 

 so good protection, "jatig sod grows). At this age there is no sod under the 

 Scotch pine, as may be witnessed at the Saginaw Forestry Farm west of 

 Ann Arbor. 



There is an immense difference between a stand of conifers and of 

 hard-'ooas. A leaf cover keeps the ground warmer, the snow melts faster, 

 and flows faster in the spring; it warms the soil quicker; it freezes in 

 winter. Grasses are encouraged by the warming and moisture before the 

 hardwoods leaf out. This affects soil life, ^onifer^ have a comparatively 

 soil. 



The intolerance of the pine is not so marked at this early age as 

 it is lat< r. Hie same is tnue of oak, which may have thickets as thick 

 as beech, up to this age. Lodg pole and Jack pine also, and tamarack, may 

 have as many as a dozen trees per square yard. 



. Stand of trees 10-30 f high: Growth in volume and other 

 growth is greater than in stand 3~!0 f high. The stand is now approaching 

 its maximum growth. On account of cleaning this stand put- the largest 

 amount of litter on the ground. Decay ordinarily is rapid. Along with 

 organic matter comes an increase in insects and fungi. Suppressed trees 

 are attacked by organic life. (Forest Sanitation: getting rid of these 

 organisms), tfince the crown cover is complete we have good protection 



iu-t sun, wind, etc., but not as good as in the younger stage. At this 

 sta,: we get the most intensive till^o of the soil. At this stage we get 

 the first danger of duff, organic matter which falls on the ground but 

 does not rot, as the needles of the donifers, etc. 



