30 THE CLEARCUTTING METHOD 



cut and disposed of, girdling may be employed. From the 

 standing trees the bark is removed in a ring around the trunk 

 and if necessary to cause death, a groove is chopped in 

 through the sapwood. 



A cover may be of benefit to young seedlings in protecting 

 them from frost, heat or wind. In such cases the cover 

 should be preserved so long as it serves a useful purpose. 

 Within a few years this cover ceases to be of benefit to the 

 reproduction and becomes a hindrance to its proper develop- 

 ment. Cleanings must then be made to uncover the repro- 

 duction and estabhsh it in a dominant position. 



(c) Treatment of the Soil. Frequently nothing need be done 

 to improve soil conditions. The rate of decomposition in- 

 creases on a cleared area and may sufficiently expose the soil 

 and make available plant foods without any special treat- 

 ment. Logging when there is no snow on the ground often 

 results in mixing mineral soil and duff into an ideal seedbed. 



Where further treatment is needed, burning over the area 

 to remove the duff and lay bare the mineral soil is sometimes 

 undertaken. Breaking up the soil in patches or furrows 

 with a plow, log drag,^ spade or other implement will often 

 be effective. 



Moisture conditions on the clearing can be partially con- 

 trolled by varying the width of the area cut clear. With a 

 narrow strip, the adjacent timber affords protection against 

 sun and wind. Proper regulation of moisture conditions may 

 make the difference between success and failure of the repro- 

 duction. 



In both forms of the clearcutting method (with artificial 

 or with natural reproduction) so far considered the entire 

 stand has been cut clear. One or more stands will make up 

 the annual cut of the forest. The forest should contain 

 enough stands to permit of one or more being cut each year. 



