17 
without the partial shade of nurse trees and grow fast enough not to be 
crowded out by weeds. 
To make this method tolerably effective, the width of the cleared 
strip should not be more thau the distance which the wind is sure to 
carry the seed, say from two to four tree lengths, according to kind, and 
that the clearing occur in or precede a seed year, 
By reducing the size of the clearings to small openings the chances 
of successful reproduction are increased; and in this manner we come 
to the next method, which consists in a thinning out through the entire 
area that is to be reproduced, and letting in enough light to stimulate 
seed bearing, proper decomposition of the litter to make a seed bed, 
and to favor the growth of seedlings. The method of reproduction from 
seed trees standing on the same ground requires perhaps the least 
change from our present method of utilizing the forest, which consists 
in culling out trees here and there. The main changes necessary would 
be to remove first the undesirable trees and the undesirable species, and 
to utilize the desirable only gradually after seeding has taken place, and 
in doing so keep in view the requirements of the young growth for 
either shade or more light. To do this successfully requires consider- 
able knowledge and judgment, and in fact the art of the forester is here 
called into fullest requisition. Differences of condition necessitate 
differences of treatment. It would lead us too far to discuss in this 
paper at length what is required. I may only briefly recite an example, 
namely, how the beech forests are reproduced in Kurope. 
The beech, like many other timbers, bears seed only periodically. 
Seed years occur in different localities at periods varying from 3 to 
even 20 years, records of their occurrence being kept. A few years 
before the seed year is expected to occur the forest is somewhat thinned 
out to admit air and light upon the soil, in order that the litter of the 
forest Hoor be more rapidly decomposed and humified, and so may form 
a suitable seed-bed for the sprouting of the seed, and also to stimulate 
the mother trees to a plentiful production of superior seed. In this. 
thinning the inferior material and the undesirable kinds are first re- 
moved, and such kinds as reproduce themselves easily without aid from 
the forester. When the nuts fall, pigs may be driven into the woods to 
plow them under. Under favorable conditions a soft, green carpet of 
young beech seedlings will be found to cover the ground in the spring 
next after the seed year. Now comes the critical period. Ifthe mother 
trees were left, the whole crop would be lost, and while waiting for the 
next seed crop, under the altered light conditions which invite grasses, 
weeds, and other species, the difficulties in securing reproduction are 
increased, By thinning out gradually the proper amount of light is 
given to the young crop, and when in three or four years the last of 
the mother or nurse trees are removed, a thicket of young beeches has 
replaced the old growth. In a similar manner, with necessary modifi- 
cations in procedure according to species, climate, and soil, the natural 
reproduction of other species is effected. 
28975—Bull. 5——2 
* 
en, EE 
