370 THE PLANT LIFE OF MARYLAND 



ment. (3) Planting seed or young seedlings where open places 

 occur in the woods, and where natural seeding may not be expected. 

 This should be done to thicken up the stand to the point where it 

 is fully stocked, thus leaving no idle ground. (4) Protection against 

 forest fires, without which conservative forest management is im- 

 practicable. 



THE PIEDMONT PLATEAU AND BLUE EIDGE. 



The forests of this section are almost exclusively hardwood in 

 character, but the rolling nature of the topography producing differ- 

 ences in soil and moisture conditions, gives great variety to the 

 hardwood species. The soil is one well adapted for tree growth, 

 and in consequence, the timber of this section is better developed 

 than in any other region of the state. The good height development, 

 and the general vigor of the trees themslves is an index of the fer- 

 tility and depth of the soil so characteristic of the Piedmont Plateau. 

 The per cent, of forest land in this section is smaller than elsewhere 

 and is confined to relatively small areas, usually from 10 to 50 acres 

 on farms of 200 acres or less. Land has a high agricultural value, 

 and consequently the woodlots are usually restricted to the less arable 

 portions of the farms. Where they do occupy good land, they are 

 reduced to the minimum acreage required to supply home needs. 

 The woodlands are likewise better cared for, and produce higher 

 yields than is the case where land is cheap and the product of little 

 value. 



Forest Types. 



The differences in forest types is largely determined by soil mois- 

 ture, and does not lead to such sharp contrasts as was observed in 

 swamps and uplands of the Coastal Plain area. The two principal 

 types are the Kidge and Slope types. 



The Eidge Type of forest, as the name implies, occupies the ridges 

 and higher locations, where absence of any considerable amount of 

 soil moisture confines the species to such trees as can endure drought 

 conditions. The principal tree species represented are chestnut, 

 black oak, Spanish oak, chestnut oak, white oak, hickory. The Blue 



