451 



In most instances the withdrawal of the tract from pasturage will be 

 sufficient to permit an immediate springing up of sufficient seedlings to 

 care for the future of the tract. This withdrawal from pasturage should 

 be absolute until such time as the young growth is beyond danger from 

 browsing animals. After that time light grazing may not be injurious, al- 

 though if grazing is permitted at all. there is the constant temptation to 

 overgraze. 



The effect of this overgrazing is very easily demonstrated by simply 

 enclosing a tract which contains no seedlings, thus protecting it from cat- 

 tle. Almost invariably a dense and abundant undergrowth representing 

 many species of tree forms will spring up and in a few years will have 

 provided a stand sufficiently dense to allow improvement cuttings and thin- 

 nings, leading to the formation of a new forest. 



In the State Reserve a large acreage was burned over the year before 

 the State took possession of the tract. At the present time, some eight 

 years after the fire, the tract which was burned over is densely covered 

 with a growth of vigorous and healthy young trees, with valuable species 

 represented in such large numbers as to give certain promise of a fine even- 

 aged stand after the cleaning and thinning cuttings have been made. The 

 area was regenerated from adjoining seed trees. No treatment of any kind 

 was given the tract ; it was simply freed from pasturage. 



In the hill regions of the southern counties, and especially in local- 

 ities where the hills faced the Ohio river, the forests were removed many 

 years ago. For years such tracts were left unfeuced and during those 

 years the land wasted through erosion and no seedlings obtained a foot- 

 hold. At a later period when laws forbidding stock running at large were 

 passed and when wire fencing came into general use. these denuded hills 

 were quickly covered with a dense growth of vigorous young trees. No 

 planting had been done, the soil had received no treatment, but the tract 

 as in the former case was freed from pasturage. Such instances could be 

 multiplied almost indefinitely and from them can be drawn a conclusion of 

 high economic value, namely, that very many of the denuded areas of the 

 state could be afforested by the simple process of relieving them from the 

 burden of pasturage. It is safe to say that 00% or more of the timber 

 areas of the state are so heavily over-pastured as to preclude any possibil- 

 ity of their future improvement or growth. Until the owners of these small 

 forest tracts realize the utter destructiveness of over-p.-isturage but little 



