CHAPTER VI 



PRACTICAL SYLVICULTURE — WORK IN THE 

 WOODLOT 



When the woodlot is a piece of native woodland or a 

 planted grove, it should have the same careful attention, 

 after its kind, as is given a crop of grain. To be sure, 

 neither the same amount nor the same intensity of atten- 

 tion is required, but the farm woodlot ought to be an 

 object of sufficient interest and pride to receive such atten- 

 tion and treatment as it needs. It is a mistaken notion 

 that a tree once started will take care of itself and under 

 any circumstances produce the best it is capable of. It 

 would be just as fair to expect a stalk of corn uncared for 

 to grow to successful maturity. The farmer takes it for 

 granted that, in order to grow a crop of potatoes or corn, 

 he must carry on a process of intelligent cultivation. He 

 knows definitely that his crop of potatoes or corn will be 

 very largely in proportion to the amount of labor he has 

 expended in caring for it. While there is no question as 

 to the necessity and value of cultivation and care in the 

 growing of a field crop, it is usually considered unnecessary 

 to aid the growing trees in the woodlot. It is generally 

 assumed that nature's methods are the best and that 

 labor expended in improving the woodlot is time wasted. 

 This is no more true than that nature's methods are the 

 best for the orchard or the garden. No orchardist would 



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