Correspondence Courses in Agriculture 



Farm Forestry 



Agriculture treats of the production of vegetable matter and in- 

 cludes the various steps of sowing or planting, cultivation, harvest- 

 ing, transportation, marketing and manufacture. Forestry is but 

 a part of this great subject and deals more specifically with the 

 production of wood material. Similarly with agriculture, forestry 

 treats of the steps of formation (sowing or planting), care (culti- 

 vation, pruning, thinning) mensuration (determining the volume 

 of production), logging (harvesting the crop), milling (manufac- 

 turing the logs into useable product), and marketing. Forestry 

 differs from agriculture mainly in that the yearly growth may not 

 be harvested annually but must be allowed to accumulate until the 

 product is of usable size. 



Farm forestry is that portion of the general subject which con- 

 siders more particularly the production of farm timbers, fence 

 posts and fuel. It deals specifically with the management of the 

 woodlot. 



It is not the object of this course to teach one to recognize the 

 different kinds of trees found in the woodlot. Such a knowledge 

 is presupposed. Those desiring knowledge in the identification of 

 trees should consult the following publications: 



Manual: Trees of North America, by Sargent. 



Our Native Trees, by Keeler. 



Trees and Shrubs of North America, by Newhall. 



Key to Trees, by Collins and Preston. 



Studies of Trees, by Levison. 



Lesson I The Tree 



To be able to grow and care for forest trees successfully it is 

 necessary to have a knowledge of the structure and life processes 

 of the individual tree, and to understand the factors that influence 

 its growth and development. 



Trees are living organisms. They are the highest type of vegeta- 

 tion found on the earth. They differ from herbs in having a woody 

 structure and a permanent life, and from shrubs in developing 

 single stems that elevate the branches above other forms of vege- 

 tation. 



The Parts of a Tree and Their Uses 



The tree is made up of three parts: roots, stem and crown. 



The Roots. The roots of a tree serve several purposes. In a 

 mechanical way the larger roots hold the stem in an upright posi- 

 tion so that the crown receives a maximum amount of sunlight, very 

 small roots (root hairs) near the ends of all roots, serve to absorb 

 the soil moisture, and all roots serve in the transportation of food 

 materials to and from the crown. As the roots grow and force their 

 way into the soil the root hairs die and are replaced by new ones 

 nearer the tips. 



The form of root system varies with the different species of trees 



