THE RED SPRUCE. 45 
the fortieth and forty-fifth year, and were light, about 2 trees in 7, or 
hardly more than the natural thinning which took place among the 
dominant and intermediate trees in the corresponding red spruce 
stands. The thinnings throughout, up to and including the one 
hundredth year, were in fact insufficient to make the number of trees 
the same in the Norway spruce stands as in the red spruce (dominant 
and intermediate trees) stands of corresponding age. Nevertheless, 
thinnings did accelerate the rate of growth somewhat, so that by the 
one hundredth year the whole Norway spruce stand, consisting of 
98 more trees, very closely approximated the development attained 
by the red spruce dominant and intermediate trees. In the Quality 
II stands the effect of thinnings is more marked. Thinnings began 
in the thirty-fifth year, with an intensity of 3 trees in 7 removed 
(42 per cent), and continued comparatively heavy till the eightieth 
3 r ear, when they were 1 in 5 (20 per cent). The acceleration in 
this case is everywhere apparent. Shorter by 10 feet in the for- 
tieth year, the whole Norway spruce stand had by the sixtieth year 
attained the same development as the dominant and intermediate 
red spruce stand of that age, and, while still lacking nearly 2 inches 
in average diameter, showed 9 cubic feet greater volume. By the 
eightieth year the total stems in the Norway spruce stand had 
been reduced to 3 less than the number of dominant and intermediate 
trees in the red spruce stand; had practically the same average 
diameter and 7 feet greater height; and being fuller boled, as indi- 
cated by the larger form factor, showed a very much accelerated vol- 
ume growth. In Quality I, thinnings began in the twenty-fifth year 
on a scale slightly more than 3 in 7; and the entire stand with 586 
more trees, had by the fortieth year surpassed in average height the 
average dominant and intermediate development of the red spruce 
stand of corresponding age and quality. This, with the fuller bole 
development, gave the Norway stand a considerable advantage in 
volume development, whether or not it accounts for all of the 1,313 
cubic feet excess volume at that age. From that time on the red 
spruce stagnated and languished; but the Norway spruce, under the 
stimulas of frequent thinnings, increased steadily in every respect. 
The conclusion to be drawn from the comparison seems to be that 
lack of management rather than any inherent deficiency in growing 
qualities was the factor most largely responsible for the less ravorable 
showing of red spruce. 
METHODS OF CUTTING. 
The methods of cutting to secure the natural regeneration of spruce 
depend in a large measure upon whether the stand to be perpetuated 
is of the selection, or many-aged form, as represented by the virgin 
and the cull forests, or of the even-aged form, such as those coming- 
in after fire or windfall, or on abandoned pastures. 
