SILVICULTURE. 177 



(usually 2500-5000 per acre), and it requires years 

 before the crowns of the young growth close up to 

 shade the ground thoroughly, meanwhile weeds and 

 grass sapping its strength and retarding the devel- 

 opment of the crop. Nevertheless, by a judicious 

 application, making the openings small, utilizing the 

 shelter of some left-over trees for partial protection, 

 increasing the number of plants, or sowing a cheap 

 nurse crop, these dangers may be avoided. 



Theoretically, however, the regeneration under 

 shelter wood with a short period of removal is con- 

 sidered the most efficient. 



While all these methods rely upon a reproduc- 

 tion of the new crop by seed, directly or indirectly, 

 there is another mode of reproduction possible, 

 owing to the capacity of some trees to reproduce 

 new parts from buds, forming shoots from the 

 stumps after the old tree is cut. These stool 

 shoots, or sprouts, grow into trees, and by the 

 mere harvest of the old crop, the new crop is se- 

 cured. This, in turn, may be cut, and the stump 

 will produce again and again new sprouts. This 

 simplest and crudest system of reproduction, called 

 "coppice," which results involuntarily when the 

 old hardwoods are cut, is applicable only to the 

 broad-leaved trees which are capable of producing 

 valuable shoots in this manner; the coniferous 

 trees, like pines, spruces, etc., are practically ex- 

 cluded, although some possess the capacity of 

 sprouting in inferior degree. 



