94 THE PRINCIPLES OF HANDLING WOODLANDS 



tional Forests, the planting will be confined largely to 

 waste areas. Cuttings will, however, be made in the 

 mature portions of the forest, and in some instances 

 a clear-cutting will be necessary or desirable. Suppose, 

 for example, that there is a stand of 25 acres of ma- 

 ture pine of even age. This may be located so that a 

 system of thinning and gradual removal of the trees can 

 be used. It may happen, however, that much better 

 results would be obtained by cutting the stand clear, and 

 restocking the area by planting. Under the present 

 conditions of the market such a system might be finan- 

 cially the best plan. Again, the timber might be so lo- 

 cated that any system of thinning would be followed by 

 windfall. In such a case it would be necessary to make 

 the clear-cutting and restock the area either by a natural 

 reproduction from seed-trees on the edge of the clearing 

 or by planting. 



It frequently happens that the areas acquired by the 

 State have been badly damaged through unintelligent and 

 reckless lumbering in the past, and are covered with 

 undesirable species or an open stand. Under such con- 

 ditions natural reproduction might result in a stand of a 

 species which never would have much value. Thus, for 

 example, the State forester might be operating on land 

 suitable for white pine, and yet be unable to secure 

 through natural reproduction anything but undesirable 

 hardwoods. Exactly this condition was met in the Adi- 

 rondacks on certain portions of the tract operated by Cor- 

 nell University from 1 899 to 1902. The tract had been 



