SYLVICULTURE 



to be fire-eulied coppice formed by the fire-killed, younger age classes 

 of primeval woods ( seedlings, saplings and small poles ) . 



III. Cultured high forests. 



The cultured high forest at Biltmore is still in statu nascendi, 

 in the plantations on abandoned fields as well as in the n. s. r.'s of 

 comp. 102 (compartment type), the slopes of Ducker Mountain, etc. 

 The growth of the Oaks during early youth is very slow. The soil 

 is usually so badly hardened as to require artificial help to n. s. r. 

 Oak seedlings and saplings are rare in Pisgah l^orest (excepting 3- 

 year-old Scarlet Oaks ) . 



The Oaks mingle with the Short-leaf Pine everywhere as an un- 

 dergrowth started by n. s. r., or as a companion-growth in Pine pole- 

 woods. Here too^ however, the fires have usually converted seedlings 

 and saplings into stoolshoots. 



In the S. E.j regeneration under shelterwood or in advance of 

 logging (by the group type or by the compartment type) seems ad- 

 visable. In the mixture with the Oaks should be encouraged : Maples, 

 Black Gums, Pines (White Pine grows and retains its branches for 

 a long time in the mixture), Chestnut, Hickory, Walnut. 



Record of seed years at Biltmore: 



White 'Oak: good in 1899. 



Post Oak: in 1900 the only mast-bearing oak. 



Black Oak : splendid, full mast year in 1901 in all situations. 



Spanish Oak: splendid, full mast year in lUOl. 



Chestnut Oak: promises well in 1904. 



B. Chestnuts: 



I. Primeval forests: 



Actually primeval forests of Chestnut seem very rare. The 

 Chestnut woods of the Appalachians have been ransacked by fires 

 for many decades of years. The n. s. r. seems to have been of the 

 selection type. Chestnut seems to avoid limestone-soil and ceases to 

 occur where limestone appears (Ky; Ten.). 



II. Culled high forests: 



The fire-culled forest shows an absolute lack of seedlings, sap- 

 lings and poles. 



The axe- culled forest consists merely of coppice. 



Trees beset with dead branches are invariably wormy (Lymexy- 

 lon). 



Seed years seem to be getting scarce, possibly under the influence 

 of fires, to judge from the reports of mountaineers. The old trees 

 are frequently stagheaded and fail to successfully regenerate their 

 kind. 



146 



