CLEANINGS 145 



tial. If cleanings are made at all in such stands, the object 

 is to remove trees of poorer form than those that are being 

 overtopped. (See Figs. 51 and 52.) 



Fig. 51. 



A stand of white pine and mixed hardwoods in need of a cleaning. The 

 hardwoods and the large pine, which is too limby to make good timber, should 

 be cut. See Fig. 52. 



Fig. 52. 



Same stand as in Fig. 51, but immediately after the cleaning has been made. 

 This cleaning was made early enough in life so that the pine had not yet been 

 deformed by the overtopping hardwoods. The operation results in transform- 

 ing the stand from one dominated by inferior hardwoods to pure pine. 



Cleanings are the first cuttings made in a new stand after 

 its establishment and should take place as soon as the indi- 

 viduals which it is desired to help are threatened with injury. 

 This rarely happens before the third or later than the tenth 

 year. For a few years the shade afforded by undesirable 

 species may be of benefit to the small seedlings of the more 

 valuable species as a protective cover. The situation soon 

 changes and instead of being a benefit the overtopping 

 growth usurps the growing space, hinders the growth and, 

 if allowed to remain, may cause the death of the better trees. 

 (See Fig. 53.) Sometimes one cleaning is sufficient to regulate 

 the mixture. More often two or three cuttings made at in- 

 tervals of three to five years will be required to accomplish 

 the purpose. This is especially the case when the trees re- 



