﻿THE 
  FOREST 
  FROM 
  A 
  STLVI 
  CULTURAL 
  STANDPOINT. 
  25 
  

  

  sented. 
  In 
  a 
  typical 
  hardwood 
  bottom 
  no 
  pine 
  is 
  present, 
  hut 
  along 
  

   the 
  borders 
  of 
  this 
  type, 
  where 
  the 
  soil 
  is 
  not 
  quite 
  so 
  moist, 
  a 
  tew 
  

   pines 
  occasionally 
  creep 
  in. 
  This 
  forest 
  of 
  broadleaf 
  species 
  is 
  

   remarkable 
  for 
  its 
  luxuriant 
  growth 
  and 
  large 
  timber. 
  

  

  Although 
  the 
  gums 
  and 
  hickories 
  are 
  the 
  most 
  important 
  in 
  point 
  

   of 
  numbers, 
  the 
  Cow 
  Oaks 
  and 
  White 
  Oaks 
  will 
  probably 
  prove 
  the 
  

   most 
  important 
  commercially. 
  The 
  forest 
  as 
  a 
  whole 
  has 
  the 
  appear- 
  

   ance 
  of 
  a 
  nearly 
  even-aged 
  mature 
  stand. 
  The 
  large, 
  spreading 
  crowns 
  

   of 
  the 
  oaks 
  slightly 
  overtop 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  other 
  species. 
  Rising 
  to 
  

   nearly 
  the 
  same 
  height 
  are 
  the 
  gums, 
  hickories, 
  and 
  ashes: 
  and 
  all 
  

   these 
  species 
  are 
  very 
  evenly 
  distributed 
  over 
  the 
  entire 
  hottom. 
  

   Hasswood 
  is 
  somewhat 
  smaller 
  in 
  size, 
  while 
  the 
  Holly 
  and 
  Hornbeam 
  

   form 
  a 
  kind 
  of 
  scattering 
  underwood 
  to 
  the 
  main 
  stand. 
  The 
  forest 
  

   as 
  a 
  whole 
  is 
  dense, 
  and 
  but 
  little 
  light 
  penetrates 
  through 
  the 
  heavy 
  

   crowns. 
  • 
  

  

  The 
  most 
  notable 
  feature 
  of 
  this 
  type 
  of 
  forest 
  is 
  the 
  general 
  absence 
  

   of 
  young 
  growth. 
  With 
  the 
  exception 
  of 
  scattering 
  specimens 
  of 
  

   Sweet 
  Gum. 
  Holly, 
  and 
  Hornbeam 
  saplings, 
  reproduction 
  of 
  any 
  

   description 
  is 
  lacking. 
  The 
  following 
  facts 
  account 
  for 
  such 
  a 
  state 
  

   of 
  things: 
  

  

  (1) 
  Throughout 
  a 
  large 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  forest 
  the 
  ground 
  is 
  kept 
  too 
  

   dark 
  for 
  reproduction 
  of 
  any 
  but 
  the 
  most 
  tolerant 
  species. 
  

  

  (2) 
  Wherever 
  sufficient 
  light 
  occurs 
  for 
  the 
  germination 
  of 
  seed- 
  

   lings, 
  these 
  rarely 
  succeed, 
  because 
  — 
  

  

  (</) 
  The 
  very 
  dense 
  growth 
  of 
  cane 
  makes 
  it 
  almost 
  impossible 
  for 
  a 
  

   seedling 
  to 
  develop: 
  and 
  

  

  (f>) 
  In 
  case 
  a 
  seedling 
  struggles 
  on 
  in 
  spite 
  of 
  the 
  cane, 
  it 
  rarely 
  sur- 
  

   vives 
  the 
  frequent 
  and^severe 
  floods 
  which 
  are 
  sure 
  to 
  occur 
  each 
  year. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  diflicult 
  to 
  foretell 
  just 
  what 
  the 
  result 
  of 
  lumbering 
  in 
  the 
  

   hardwood 
  bottoms 
  will 
  be. 
  In 
  all 
  probability 
  no 
  natural 
  reproduction 
  

   of 
  the 
  desired 
  species 
  can 
  be 
  hoped 
  for. 
  because 
  of 
  the 
  dense 
  cane 
  and 
  

   grass 
  and 
  the 
  inundations. 
  As 
  soon 
  as 
  light 
  is 
  admitted 
  by 
  the 
  cut- 
  

   tings 
  the 
  growth 
  of 
  cane 
  and 
  grass 
  will 
  be 
  greatly 
  stimulated. 
  No 
  

   figures 
  can 
  be 
  given 
  in 
  this 
  report 
  in 
  regard 
  to 
  the 
  rate 
  of 
  growth 
  of 
  

   the 
  hardwoods, 
  as 
  circumstances 
  were 
  such 
  that 
  it 
  was 
  deemed 
  best 
  to 
  

   confine 
  such 
  work 
  to 
  the 
  pines. 
  If 
  the 
  diameter 
  limit 
  is 
  kept 
  fairly 
  

   high 
  in 
  cutting 
  these 
  hardwoods 
  (say 
  at 
  20 
  inches), 
  there 
  is 
  every 
  reason 
  

   to 
  believe 
  that 
  a 
  good 
  second 
  crop 
  will 
  be 
  ready 
  for 
  the 
  axe 
  when 
  the 
  

   pine 
  lands 
  are 
  cut 
  over 
  the 
  second 
  time. 
  The 
  chances 
  of 
  a 
  sustained 
  

   yield 
  in 
  future 
  years 
  are. 
  however, 
  doubtful. 
  

  

  The 
  hardwood 
  bottoms 
  are 
  not 
  subject 
  to 
  forest 
  tires, 
  on 
  account 
  of 
  

   the 
  moistness 
  of 
  the 
  ground 
  and 
  the 
  sentiment 
  of 
  the 
  local 
  popula- 
  

   tion. 
  The 
  dense 
  growth 
  of 
  cane 
  furnishes 
  a 
  most 
  excellent 
  supply 
  of 
  

   fodder 
  for 
  cattle, 
  and 
  every 
  winter 
  the 
  bottoms 
  are 
  full 
  of 
  stock 
  from 
  

   the 
  neighboring 
  village-. 
  In 
  case 
  a 
  tire 
  breaks 
  out 
  an 
  alarm 
  is 
  soon 
  

   given 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  quickly 
  extinguished. 
  

  

  