128 ELEMENTARY EORESTRY. 



accretion during the last ten years was 12.52 feet, which is 

 equivalent to mean annual increment of 1.25 feet. 



As the live branches of this tree occupied the whole trunk, 

 the timber was very knotty. A proper crowding would have 

 kept it from forming large branches on the lower trunk, stimu- 

 lated its upward growth, and prevented so large an increment 

 during the early life of the tree. But if, as with the former tree, 



Figure 34. Cross section of White Pine open grown. 



it had been first crowded and then set free, the best timber in the 

 least time would have been secured. 



The Profit from an Investment in I/and that is stocked 

 with only very small coniferous seedlings is altogether too small 

 and too remote to prove an attraction to investors at present, 

 even were the danger from fire entirely eliminated. But there 

 is considerable land that is now stocked with a good growth of 

 young pine of fair size that could be bought and managed at a 

 good profit if the danger from fire could be greatly reduced. 

 This land in many cases would not have to be held more than 

 ten or fifteen years to secure a good profit on the investment, 



