68 PRACTICAL FORESTRY IN THE ADIRONDACKS. 
those 15 inches in diameter averaging over 200 years. Although a large 
number of these are growing rapidly and may live many years, they 
have reached merchantable size and in many instances are beginning 
to show signs of decline. This old timber should be removed before 
it decays, or is injured by insects, wind, or otherwise. A place is 
seldom found where it would pay to leave a Spruce 15 inches in 
diameter for seed, for either there are enough smaller trees at hand 
to answer the purpose, or the conditions for reproduction are so 
unfavorable that the results obtained by leaving a mature tree, worth 
fully 30 cents on the stump, would not justify the investment. The 
exception to the rule is where a short, scrubby tree, 15 inches or 
over in diameter, which contains only a small amount of coarse timber, 
would serve as a good seed tree. 
(2) All very old trees which are under 15 inches in diameter, and 
which may die before the end of the probable interval between the first 
and second cuts, should be marked forremoval. The old timber may be 
easily distinguished from the young ata glance. The most obvious sign 
is the diameter and height; but where trees are about the same size, 
other signs must be used. A tree which carries its diameter well up 
into the crown is usually pretty old, while a tapering stem and slender 
top are signs of youth. A young tree often has a low, conical crown, 
with a long, slender head. Old trees, on the other hand, are charac 
terized by thick, blunt crowns. The general age can often be detected 
by the color of the bark. When the upper part of the stem is reddish 
and has a comparatively smooth bark roughened by delicate scales, 
the tree is young. When the bark in the crown is thick and has 
heavy, gray scales, the tree is old. 
(3) All trees which show signs of decay, but which are still mer- 
chantable, should be marked for removal, The most obvious sign of 
‘decay in Spruce is the exudation of resin on the stem. The presence 
of hardened gum on old branch wounds is not necessarily a sign of 
internal decay, but soft, white resin is a sure indication that the tree 
is unsound, at least where the resin comes out. It frequently happens 
that, while gum is found on the lower part of the tree, the upper por- 
tion of the stem is perfectly sound. Thus the lumbermen usually cut 
a large tree, even if ‘‘gummy,” with the hope of finding one or two 
sound logs in the upper part of the stem. A small tree which shows 
this sign is usually useless. The presence of ‘punk knots” is a sure 
test of unsoundness. These are found at points where branches have 
been broken off, and usually manifest themselves by a slight bulge, 
and if cut, are found to be rotten. Sometimes on old trees these punk 
knots are difficult to distinguish. The disease is especially common 
on Pines, and is known as “blind punk.” An experienced woodsman 
can distinguish an unsound tree by striking it with an ax. A sound 
tree has a peculiar ring, which to a trained ear readily distinguishes it 
from the dull or hollow sound of a rotten trunk. The appearance of 
the bark and foliage is often a test of the health of the tree. A 
