174. 



Ordinarily the stand is cut clear: the aprouts come principally 

 from the stump, always a number of them for each stump. Some get ahead 

 and suppress the re.it. There is rapid growth, 6 to b feet in one season, 

 even 12 feet. Therefore in the first year there is a stand of bushy appea 

 ranee. Thus the soil is not exposed. The stand goes up in the air rapid- 

 ly, the trees growing in clumpa of 3 to 5; therefore the crowns are unsy- 

 metrical and one-sided, and, also, the trunks are bent toward the light. 

 Cleaning is always variaMe. There is more cleaning in tolerant species. 

 Rapid growth end early, the old stump decays away, and the sprouts may 

 or may not suffer. 



The sprout stand is distinctly even~aged. The rotation is short, 

 the thinnings are restricted, and severe, vtoere a long rotation is used, 

 the tops "become long, some seed is produced, and seedlings start up. This 

 frequently happens in chestnut. 



A modification of the coppice is used in France and southern lu- 

 rope: two cuts are made; the first cut is for the best timber, leaving 

 the rest to grow, and new sprouts also come in. Object: the soil is pro- 

 tected from dying out. 



jo.ju The coppice is the safest of all the systems we have. We 

 know its effect on site. It occurs under thriving conditions. The fact 

 of its safety shows itself in that the reproduction is safe; there is 

 no risk of cutting clear and having no reproduction for a time. 



b. The coppice is applicable to but few of the conifers; the 

 redwood is the" only good conifer in tno United states. Shortleaf pine is 

 not >uter. The Japanese Cryptoraaria is a good sprouter, it must have 

 a mild climate, good for grapes, and good soil, '-/e can often use overflow 

 bottoms, wet lands, and gully, rocky, and shallow soils, according to 

 the species. Coppice is good for a soil binder. 



d.. The volume growth is very great from the start, therefore 

 the growth of the ten years after reproduction may be ten times as great 

 s that of se dlings produced. 



The quality growth also is rapid; the trees are slimmer; most cop- 

 rice does not make saw timber. The heartwood has a variety of uses. It 

 is very useful stuff: poles, handles, posts, ties, firewood, etc. 



. Coppice is restricted to good soils. A short rotation 

 takes off more young stuff and exhausts the soil. The stand opens because 

 of intolerant species and is not sufficiently cared for, therefore the 

 soil is apt to dry out, tho this is a necessary part of the system. There 

 is good reproduction and it ought to have good protection of the site. 



jT. Ordinary business rejects coppice systems in large enter- 

 prises, as State, etc., because: 



(1) Coppice needs good land. (Agricultural) 

 J2) It raises poor cheap stuff which is not acceptable 

 to the general market. 



(3) It yields a small gross income per acre per year. 



(4) The stand easily depreciates; there is a tendency to 

 overcut the stand. 



(5) The coppice system is unable to serve most of the 



important forest species and sites. The most important forest species are 

 the conifers, which are not served by this system. 



