FOREST SERVICE RESEARCH NOTE NEt^241 



1977 



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 Txperlment Statioit 



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FOREST SERVICE, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE, 6816 MARKET STREET, UPPER DARBY, PA. 19082 



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INTRODUCTION OF BLACK WALNUT AND NORTHERN 

 RED OAK SEEDLINGS IN AN UPLAND HARDWOOD FOREST 

 IN SOUTHEASTERN OHIO,/ 



^ 4/i 



' ^ -^DONALD E. HILT, 



Northeastern Forest Experiment Station 

 Delaware, Ohio 43015 



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Abstract.— VA^ck walnut and northern red oak seedlings were planted 

 on a clearcut area in 1964. Three cultural treatments were applied to 

 seedlings to control competing trees. Average height and survival were 

 analyzed 13 growing seasons after planting. Results indicated that black 

 walnut seedlings can be effectively established on good sites if cultural 

 treatments are applied. Red oak seedlings are difficult to establish, 

 regardless of treatment or site. 



Keywords: black walnut, red oak, planting, height growth. 



The upland timber stands on many of 

 southeastern Ohio's good sites contain few, if 

 any, black walnut {Juglans nigra L.) or northern 

 red oak {Quercus rubra L.) trees. Yet such sites 

 are capable of growing high-quality timber at a 

 rapid rate and could possibly be stocked with 

 these high-value species. The most obvious way 

 to introduce high-value species is to plant them 

 after removing residual trees in a regeneration 

 cutting. 



The dense sprout and brush cover that 

 develops on these sites after a regeneration cut- 

 ting creates fierce competition for any seedlings 

 planted there. Therefore the seedlings should be 

 selected from superior stock, planted with great 

 care, and helped along by release cuttings or 

 other cultural measures as necessary. The high 

 value of the species and the potential for rapid 



growth on these good sites may very well justify 

 the costs of these intensive methods. 



The purpose of this study was to evaluate 

 several methods of establishing black walnut 

 and northern red oak seedlings after clearcut- 

 ting a hardwood stand on a good site where 

 these species were scarce or absent. 



The Study 



Planting site.— A timber sale in an upland 

 mixed oak stand on the Vinton Furnace Ex- 

 perimental Forest' in southeastern Ohio during 

 the winter of 1963-64 created a convenient and 

 suitable test area for this study. The 8-acre sale 



'The Vinton Furnace Experimental Forest, located in 

 southeastern Ohio, is managed cooperatively by the 

 Northeastern Forest Experiment Station and the Mead Cor- 

 poration. 



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