THE FOREST COVER ESTABLISHED. 



51 



tively little loss, and a plentiful crop of seedlings occu- 

 pies the ground. As yet. however, each little tree 

 stands free from those about it. As yet, too, the life 

 of the young forest may be threatened or even de- 

 stroyed by any one of the enemies already mentioned, 

 or it may suffer just as severely if the cover of the 

 older trees above it is too dense. In the beginning of 

 their lives seedlings often require to be protected by 



Fig. 48.— Young White Pines (seedlings) whose lower branches have ju>t be- 

 gun to interfere. Milford, Pa. These are vigorous young trees, with plenty 

 of light, as may he seen by the grass which is growing around them. Grass 

 in the woods almost always means that the cover is too thin for the good of 

 the soil. 



the shade of their elders, but if this protection is too 

 long continued they suffer for want of light, and are 

 either killed outright or live only to drag on stunted 

 and unhealthy lives. (See fig. -47.) 



THE FOREST COVER ESTABLISHED. 



The crop which we are following has had a suitable 

 proportion of shade and light during its earliest years, 

 and the seedlings have spread until their crowns begin 

 to meet. Hitherto each little tree has had all the space 

 in the air and soil that it needed for the expansion of 

 its top and roots. This would have been entirely good, 

 except that meanwhile the soil about the trees has been 



