1920] CLAYBERG— UPLAND SOCIETIES 35 



seedlings germinate to fill the gaps, and elongation results in the 

 formation of a new sapling stand (age 2) as the trees above reach 

 age 4. The sapling axis is long and straight, forks and side branches 

 equaling the stem are rare, and the foliate part of the tree, although 

 polygonal in cross-section, approaches a right cylinder. The 

 lowest branches are dead twigs, the later ones are horizontal or 

 angle up . 



A fine close sapling stand is the culmination in percentage of 

 volume occupied. As the size of a stand increases, the distances 

 between its trees increase also, and it is believed that a law will here 



diameter 



The 



sapling age shows maximum increase in size for given decrease in 

 number per unit area, hence competition between trees of equal 

 age is keenest here. 



With removal of another generation the saplings elongate, but 

 intensity of vertical growth decreases, for the relatively open 

 spacing permits lateral growth and reapproach to the typical 



form shown by 



passmg 



in branch form 



from the filiform type of evanescent branch to the massive typi 

 permanent branch characteristic of the adult. These originate 



ing 



Comparison 



pling 



m the latter. All saplings 



maximum 



with forked axes are eliminated, since no adults are s 

 at sapling level. Naturally a biaxial shoot is at a 

 under active competition with those supporting but 

 With further thinning of population the adult st 

 reached. This is the true ecological climax. Th 

 display and culmination of vitality are seen here. 

 studied, felled, and measured. There was no sign of lost branches 

 or decay, all branches bearing a rich display of leaves in normal 

 position. The trunk was clean, straight, and subcylindric, with 

 the lowest branch 25 .3 m. from the ground. The diameter basally 

 was 53 cm. and the tree was 32. < m. tall. The crown was oval, 



A typical tree was 



major 



showed 



cm. wide at the base, with its cone point ending 



