19 



boled and low-branching because they began growing in ad-^ 

 vance of the. rest and received full sunlight. . Very frequently 

 these few trees did the original seeding for that land. They 

 do not pay for cutting and sawing or at best bring a very 

 small return. Such trees, however, have a very great value as 

 seed-trees, since they are wind firm and will not die from ex- 

 posure after the others have been cut down. Spindling, slender 

 trees if left for this purpose will surely die or be blown down. 

 Four or five pines are sufficient to seed one acre, provided they 

 are sufficiently old to bear plentifully. They should be left on 

 the western half of the acre, if possible, since the prevailing 

 winds are westerly during the time of year that the seed escapes 

 from the cones. 



If it is desired to burn up the branches and tops after lumber- 

 ing, the debris must be removed from the foot of the seed-trees.. 

 If there is little danger from fire these tops may remain and will 

 soon decay after the young growth gets started. A light growth, 

 of birch may first occupy this cut-over land but this will serve 

 as a protection to the tender pine seedlings which will appear 

 later beneath them. The birch should, however, be removed 

 when the young pines are well established. 



The Strip Method: This method may be used to advantage 

 where the woodlot is a large one. Successive strips of the for- 

 est are cut, beginning on the east side of the tract- and working 

 west, or in other words, at right angles to the prevailing winds; 

 Advantage may be taken of a seed-year for the time in which 

 to cut one strip. The seed-years can be judged by the presence 

 of httle cones in the tops of the trees during the previous year. 

 The strips should be not more than two or three times as wide 

 as the trees are high if a complete seeding of the ground is 

 desired. The wind will blow the seed from the adjacent woods 

 over the newly cut land and after a few years, the seedlings 

 having appeared, a new strip may be cut and so on until the 

 land is all lumbered and naturally re-seeded. The natural prin- 

 ciple on which this method is based may be understood by noting 

 the thick reproduction of pine in pastures or old fields on the 

 easterly side of any pine woodlot. 



Where no method of establishing a new stand by natural re- 

 production can be practiced, planting will have to be resorted to. 

 This involves a greater expenditure at the outset but will often 



