﻿g6 
  Sixteenth 
  Annual 
  Report 
  of 
  the 
  

  

  trees 
  does 
  not 
  form 
  a 
  closed 
  canopy 
  and 
  for 
  both 
  reasons 
  the 
  humus 
  

   is 
  very 
  slight. 
  The 
  ground 
  cover 
  generally 
  consists 
  of 
  grass, 
  ferns, 
  

   flowering 
  weeds, 
  etc. 
  

  

  Reproduction 
  is 
  good, 
  as 
  a 
  large 
  amount 
  of 
  light 
  downy 
  seed 
  is 
  

   produced 
  early 
  in 
  the 
  spring 
  which 
  is 
  widely 
  scattered 
  by 
  the 
  wind 
  

   but 
  rapidly 
  deteriorates 
  through 
  drying. 
  Poplar 
  also 
  reproduces 
  

   extensively 
  by 
  suckering 
  from 
  the 
  roots, 
  which 
  fact 
  has 
  a 
  very 
  im- 
  

   portant 
  bearing 
  on 
  its 
  management 
  and 
  will 
  be 
  considered 
  at 
  

   greater 
  length 
  under 
  that 
  heading. 
  

  

  The 
  white 
  birch, 
  maple, 
  etc., 
  also 
  reproduce 
  abundantly 
  from 
  

   seed 
  and 
  also 
  sprout 
  from 
  the 
  root 
  collar, 
  so 
  that 
  reproduction 
  of 
  

   the 
  chief 
  species 
  composing 
  this 
  type 
  is 
  all 
  that 
  can 
  be 
  desired. 
  

  

  Concerning 
  growth 
  : 
  While 
  no 
  measurements 
  of 
  any 
  large 
  num- 
  

   ber 
  of 
  trees 
  have 
  been 
  taken 
  the 
  few 
  specimens 
  examined 
  indicate 
  

   that 
  at 
  twenty 
  years 
  of 
  age 
  the 
  diameter 
  breast 
  high 
  may 
  be 
  any- 
  

   where 
  from 
  seven 
  to 
  ten 
  inches 
  or 
  from 
  three-tenths 
  to 
  five-tenths 
  

   inches 
  diameter 
  growth 
  per 
  year. 
  Mean 
  annual 
  growth 
  of 
  a 
  fully 
  

   stocked 
  stand 
  of 
  pure 
  poplar 
  will 
  range 
  from 
  three-fourths 
  to 
  one 
  

   cord 
  per 
  acre 
  per 
  year. 
  

  

  Past 
  Management. 
  — 
  On 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  great 
  demand 
  for 
  poplar 
  

   for 
  pulpwood, 
  excelsior 
  stock, 
  etc., 
  the 
  custom 
  has 
  been 
  to 
  thin 
  

   out 
  poplar 
  stands 
  long 
  before 
  they 
  have 
  reached 
  maturity 
  (say 
  at 
  

   fifteen 
  to 
  twenty 
  years). 
  While 
  no 
  doubt 
  certain 
  advantages 
  are 
  

   gained 
  by 
  so 
  doing, 
  viz., 
  poplar 
  reproduction 
  is 
  secured 
  and 
  by 
  

   cutting 
  young 
  there 
  is 
  no 
  falling 
  off 
  in 
  the 
  growth 
  rate, 
  neverthe- 
  

   less 
  it 
  would 
  appear 
  that 
  by 
  waiting 
  for 
  five 
  to 
  ten 
  years 
  more 
  a 
  

   much 
  larger 
  cut 
  could 
  be 
  obtained 
  and 
  reproduction 
  could 
  be 
  as- 
  

   sured 
  as 
  well. 
  

  

  Future 
  Management. 
  — 
  The 
  ordinary 
  conception 
  that 
  poplar 
  is 
  a 
  

   temporary 
  type 
  coming 
  in 
  usually 
  after 
  fire, 
  lasting 
  for 
  one 
  genera- 
  

   tion 
  (forty 
  to 
  fifty 
  years) 
  and 
  then 
  giving 
  way 
  to 
  a 
  softwood 
  or 
  

   mixed 
  stand, 
  seems 
  to 
  be 
  only 
  partially 
  true 
  from 
  instances 
  seen 
  on 
  

   this 
  investigation. 
  While 
  it 
  is 
  true 
  that 
  if 
  left 
  untouched 
  a 
  poplar 
  

   stand 
  will 
  follow 
  the 
  course 
  above 
  mentioned, 
  nevertheless 
  there 
  

   is 
  a 
  poplar 
  tract 
  near 
  Stony 
  Creek 
  that 
  has 
  had 
  four 
  cuts 
  of 
  poplar 
  

  

  