THINNING AND PRUNING. aT 
when cut under 25 years. The wood is formed within that 
time as rapidly, taking a forest together, as at any other age: 
and, for fuel, it is then of most value. 
In cutting with a view to future timber, the tree should be 
felled as close to the ground as possible, as the shoots will then 
be erect. In cutting with a view to fuel, it is of less conse- 
quence. Several suckers will be thrown out, all of which will 
be curved at base, but they will all, thereby, have more room 
to grow. 
To the questions, —‘ Stumps of trees of what age, when felled, 
will shoot up most vigorously? Is there any age at which they 
cease to shoot? What trees will not shoot from the stump?” 
the answers are equally full. To the first of these questions, 
the uniform answer is, that the stumps of young, healthy, grow- 
ing trees, shoot most vigorously. They should not be under 15 
years, nor much over 20. The almost uniform answer to the 
second question, is, that shoots will not come from very old 
trees. From those of old trees they spring up, but die in one or 
two years. Stumps of trees that had begun to decay, seldom 
give any shoots. In some cases, suckers come from the roots of 
old trees, but not from the stump. A single individual thinks 
that the power of throwing up shoots from the stump, never 
ceases during the life of the tree. 
As to the third question, all agree that evergreens never give 
permanent shoots from the stump. Several persons, who have 
attended to the growth of the sugar maple say, that the stump 
of this tree makes no shoots ; and the same is said of the beech. 
As to the season of the year most favorable for felling a for- 
est, when the object is to have it renew itself speedily, the tes- 
timony is various, but not absolutely discordant. All agree in 
saying, that the tree should be felled when not in leaf. The 
majority say, generally, in the winter months; some, between 
November and April. A correspondent in Plymouth, my friend 
G. P. Bradford, who kindly took great pains to get information 
extensively from the wood-growers in that neighborhood, says,— 
‘“‘It is generally considered, by those well acquainted with the 
matter, much preferable for the future growth, to fell a forest in 
April and May. The wood is not so good as when cut between 
