Correspondence Courses in Agriculture. 1 



below the ground level. Crown sprouts are preferable, since they 

 rapidly develop root-systems of their own and become independent. 

 Stump sprouts are always dependent and apt to deteriorate as the 

 old stump decays. Sprouts develop much more rapidly than seed- 

 lings but are shorter lived, and consequently produce inferior mate- 

 rial. At forty or fifty years the seedling overtakes and then sur- 

 passes the sprout. 



Sprouting is most vigorous when felling takes place during the 

 dormant period (winter) and decreases towards the growing period 

 (summer). In fact, felling during August and September is apt to 

 destroy the sprouting capacity, of the stump. 



Root Suckers. When surface roots are broken many species have 

 the property of developing sprouts from the severed portion of root. 

 This is very noticeable in the case of road grading adjacent to a 

 windbreak or hedge of black locust. If such sprouts are carefully 

 raised they may be transplanted in the same manner as seedlings. 

 This is an inexpensive method of starting a new windbreak or hedge. 



Cuttings. Certain species of the hardwoods may be propagated 

 by means of a section of the branch or stem. Usually cuttings are 

 taken from shoots or branches one or two years old. They should 

 be made during the dormant period, from eight to twelve inches 

 long and both ends should be cut smooth. Cuttings are planted in 

 a sloping position, about three-fourths of the stick being buried in 

 moist soil. Willow and Aspen (Populus) are readily propagated 

 in this manner. 



The Woodlot 



A woodlot is an association of trees growing so closely together 

 that full development of the crowns is prevented. Isolated indi- 

 vidual trees in an old field or park, develop without interference and 

 take on a very different form. In the forest, there develops a 

 "struggle for existence," with the result that each tree endeavors 

 to out-strip arid over-top its neighbors. Consequently, the stems 

 are long and cylindrical and the crowns are small and irregular. In 

 the open, the tree has no competition and each develops a huge 

 crown and extensive root-system. Consequently, the stem is short, 

 the branches are long and persist near the ground, and the form 

 is a regular figure. 



Crowding each other closely in the forest, the development of 

 side branches is interferred with and most of the tree's energy is 

 expended in rapid height growth, with the result that the forest 

 grown tree may be two or even three times the height of the tree 

 of the same age grown in the open. Since lumber is the product 

 desired, and the long, cylindrical, clear (branchless) stem produces 

 both quality and quantity, it follows that forest grown trees must 

 be the object of forestry. 



