28 TREES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
November and April.’ This is confirmed by several other per- 
sons who have enjoyed means of extended observation. ‘The 
convenience of the wood-cutter will generally lead him to fell 
the forest in the early part of winter; and, probably, taking into 
consideration both the quality of the wood cut, and the welfare 
of the future forest, this may be best. 
When the object is to destroy the growth, summer is univer- 
sally declared to be the best season to fell a forest. As to the 
month, opinions differ. Many say, August, or late in summer; 
some say, June and July, or midsummer. Mr. A. C. Metcalfe, 
avery intelligent farmer of Lenox, says,—‘‘In August, or when 
the tree has attained its full growth for that season.” ‘This 
seems to be the true period, at whatever time it takes place; 
when the wood is formed and before it has hardened, and the 
materials are laid up, in the trunk and root, for future growth. 
Mr. A. Bacon describes a conclusive experiment. ‘A gentle- 
man residing in this vicinity, effected the clearing of a lot of 
young walnuts, (hickories,) oaks and birches, in the follow- 
ing manner. He commenced cutting about the first of March, 
and felled successive portions as he found leisure, till about 
the first of July. That portion which was cut between the 
18th and 30th of June, was killed to the letter. Those which 
were cut before the leaves put forth, were most prompt in the 
renewal of their sprouts.”’ 
I find an opinion very generally expressed or implied, that 
every tree has a period of growth, maturity and decay. This 
is apparently hostile to the theory universally received by the 
vegetable physiologists, that the growth of every exogenous * 
tree, is, by its nature, indefinite. The discrepancy admits of 
being easily reconciled. Throughout Massachusetts, in the 
land left in forest, the soil is thin and poor. It will, therefore, 
in a comparatively short period of years, be exhausted of the 
nutriment essential to trees of any particular species. Every 
tree, like every other organized being, must perish when de- 
prived of its necessary food. It is not surprising, therefore, 
* All the common trees of our climate are exogenous, that is, they annually 
form a layer of new wood between the old wood and the bark. 
