THE SHELTERWOOD SYSTEM 161 



Very frequently there are at the time of the seed- 

 cutting groups of advance growth. Any such groups 

 as are thrifty and will develop well after releasing, are 

 carefully protected. The shading trees are cut, so far as 

 there is need of more light; and, if desirable, a group 

 is entirely uncovered. Useless advance growth which is 

 likely to interfere with the new crop is cut out. Such 

 useless advance growth consists of poor species, poorly 

 formed and unsound trees, and trees so much suppressed 

 that they cannot recover and become of value. 



The Removal Cuttings. — Just as soon as the young 

 growth is well established and no longer needs protection 

 from drought and frost, the shelter-trees are removed. 

 Sometimes this can be done in one cutting without dan- 

 ger to the seedlings from the sudden exposure; but it 

 is usually better to remove the shelterwood bv a series 

 of cuttings. 



The first removal cutting is made as soon as the seed- 

 lings begin to need a greater amount of light. As a rule, 

 this is within three or four years after the seed-cutting. 

 The forester must watch the young growth to see if it is 

 suffering from shading. If the seedlings are stunted, 

 weak-looking, and unhealthy of color, and have a sparse 

 foliage, or if they are found to be bending to one side in 

 their search for light, this is an indication that a thinning 

 must be made. 



The removal cuttings are not made uniformly over 

 the whole stand, but are necessarily irregular, because 

 some portions of the new crop require more light than 



