i84 



INTERMEDIATE CUTTINGS — THINNINGS 



merchantable trees so dense as to be in danger of stagnation 

 of growth unless thinned, furnish an illustration. ^^ The indi- 

 vidual trees may stand so closely together that it is a laborious 

 task to reach and cut each individual that should be removed 

 in the thinning. Instead of attempting this narrow lanes 

 three to four feet in width may be clear cut, running through 

 the stand at intervals of 5 to 10 feet. The cutting can be 

 done in the lanes easily and quickly. (See Fig. 74.) 



In dense stands of merchantable size there is space enough 

 to cut through the trunk with the axe or saw, but the severed 



Fig. 74- 

 A thinning in an unmerchantable stand 15 years of age an'd so dense as to 

 require immediate treatment. Narrow lanes were cut through the stand and 

 the trees felled into and left lying in these lanes. Not an ideal method of thin- 

 ning, but done to reduce the cost to a reasonable amount. Windrows of feUed 

 trees are indicated by crosshatching. 



tree remains standing upright and it is difficult to bring it to 

 the ground. Such a condition occurs only with shade en- 

 during species Hke red spruce (Picea rubens) having stiff 

 branches, which often persist on the trees for years after 

 death. In a dense stand of red spruce, 30 to 60 years of age, 

 it may be impossible to bring a severed tree to the ground 

 except by dragging the butt away from the stump (usually 

 with the aid of horses), until the top is pulled loose from the 

 surrounding crowns. This is too expensive an operation. 

 Cutting clear of lanes wider than those in young unmerchant- 

 able stands is ad vised. ^^ The lanes may be 8 to 10 feet wide 

 with uncut strips 10 to 18 feet in between. The difficulty of 



