FOKESTRY FOR SOUTHERN XEW E^'GLAXD. y 



FORESTRY FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. 



Broadly speaking, the practice of forestry in southern New England 

 calls for the following operations: 



First. Thinning in woods not mature, to improve the conditions for 

 growth and to utilize material, much of which would otherwise be 

 wasted. 



Second. Cutting in mature woods in such a way that the succeeding 

 growth will follow quickly, will be composed of good species, and will 

 be dense enough to produce not only trees with clear trunks, but also 

 the greatest possible amount of wood and timber. 



Third. Pruning, which is only j^racticable in certain sorts of stands. 



Fourth. Protecting forest property against fire and. in some cases, 

 against grazing. 



Fifth. Restocking waste lands by planting or sowing. 



IMPROVEMENT CL'TTINGS. 



The purpose of improvement cuttings is to give to the most prom- 

 ising trees the amount of light and growing space required for their 

 best development. This is secured b}' cutting out the unlikely trees 

 which are crowding more A'aluable ones. There is no thought of start- 

 ing any new growth, as in making reproduction cuttings: the improve- 

 ment of the stand is the only purpose. 



The openings made by improvement cuttings are regarded as tem- 

 porary: it is expected that the crowns of the remaining trees will 

 spread and come together in a few years, and again completely shade 

 the ground. If the woodsman keeps this in mind, there is usualh^ no 

 danger of making too heavy a thinning. 



When the thinning is too severe there is danger that the soil may 

 dry out on account of exposure to sun and wind. The trees will then 

 grow slower instead of faster: or small branches will start on their 

 trunks from hitherto undeveloped buds and sap the strength of the 

 trees, so that they often become top-dry. AVeeds, grass, and shrubs 

 spring up in great profusion on account of the increased amount of 

 light admitted, and prevent the germination and development of young 

 trees. Young trees which do spring up under these circumstances 

 are soon suppressed, and may never become of value except in the 

 case of a few species like Maple and Beech, which can live in deep 

 shade. When, later on. it is desired to cut and reproduce the woods, 

 these dwarfed trees interfere with the development of a new thrifty 

 growth in the same manner as weeds and shrubs. These evils follow 

 only where large gaps are made which can not be filled within a few 

 years by the spread of the tree crowns. Sometimes in irregular woods 

 reproduction cuttings and improvement cuttings are made at the same 

 time. In the present discussion the two sorts of cuttings are kept 

 separate to avoid confusion. 



