116 FARM FORESTRY 



in such dense stands begins early and should be stopped by 

 thinning out the less likely trees. In many woodlots before 

 the old trees are cut young seedling trees will get started be- 

 neath them and grow. Especially is this true where the trees 

 do not stand closely together allowing considerable light to 

 fall on the forest floor or where the trees are old and the 

 crowns thin. When the old trees are removed this advance 

 reproduction is present and will. start to grow under the stim- 

 ulation of increased sunlight. Where this advance reproduc- 

 tion is of desirable species and does not interfere too much 

 with the new reproduction it should be encouraged. Often 

 such advance reproduction is of poor species of trees, or be- 

 cause of its greater age and size it may interfere with or kill 

 out many seedlings of more valuable kinds. In this case the 

 advance reproduction should be cut out, liberating the seed- 

 lings beneath it. Such a cutting is known as a liberation cut- 

 ting. Where advance reproduction is of value for shading 

 or protecting the soil it should be allowed to remain. 



When the young stand has grown up so that the crowns 

 meet and the floor is shaded the life of the woodlot as a 

 unit begins. Its subsequent treatment will be the same as 

 for planted stands. Thinnings must be made throughout its 

 life whenever the competition between the trees becomes too 

 strong or whenever it is desired to improve the character of 

 the stand. 



CARING FOR THE ORDINARY FARM WOODLOT 



The ordinary small woodlot diflFers in form from the even 

 aged woodlots that start from planting seedlings or that grow 

 from sprouts or from seed sown from trees soon after the 

 woodlot has been cut. The ordinary farm woodlot is com- 

 posed of trees of all sizes and ages mixed in together. It 

 does not have a single crown cover as do even aged woodlots. 

 The crowns of trees stand at all elevations, from those of one- 

 year-old seedlings to those of poles or veterans. We have 



