CHAPTER XI 

 INTERMEDIATE CUTTINGS (Continued) 



Improvement Cuttings. — Cuttings made in a stand past 

 the sapKng stage for the purpose of improving the composi- 

 tion and character by removing trees of undesirable species, 

 form and condition. 



The operation resembles both a cleaning and a thinning in 

 character. It is needed only in stands in which cleanings 

 were not made early in the rotation. Most of the unmanaged 

 stands containing more than one species are in need of such a 

 cutting. 



In a stand of this kind trees of undesirable species or poor 

 form are likely to be in dominant position overtopping more 

 valuable individuals and many intermediate and overtopped 

 trees overcome in the struggle for existence need cutting. 

 The removal of dominant trees of undesirable species and 

 poor form is like unto a cleaning, while the cutting of the 

 trees of lower crown classes in a measure resembles a thinning. 

 (See Fig. 78.) 



In the selection of the trees to be taken out in the combined 

 operations the principles laid down for the making of cleanings 

 and thinnings should be followed. 



One improvement cutting may be sufficient to regulate the 

 mixture in the stand and if so then subsequent cuttings will 

 be in the nature of thinnings. There may be so many trees of 

 undesirable species or poor form in the dominant stand that 

 their removal all at one time would result in too severe open- 

 ing up of the canopy. A second and even a third improve- 

 192 



