The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-12-14


There's right way to do every thing, and
the care Of the woodlot Is not an exception
to the rule. The right way, moreover, 10
often quite simple, the good results which
follow being out Of all proportion to the
time or labor expended. Too many wood
lots are simply neglected, and by far the
greater number Of them are misused for
want Of foresight or true appreciation Of
their value.
The first principles Of right woodlot
forestry may be summarized In brief list
Of Don'ts, by which every woodlot owner
may profit with very little trouble.
Don't dispose Of your woodlot. You
need 1t for your own use. 1t can be made
10 give you fuel, posts, poles, fence rails,
even such timber, boards, and shingles ~
will keep the farmstead and barns In re-
pair. With little encouragement, its val
ue for home supply will increase year BY
year. While you use It, 1t will renew
tself, and the price Of Ito products are
certainly not decreasing.
Don't turn yonr woodlot into . pasture.
Tree seedlings are quickly bruised and
crushed by the trampling Of live stock.
Hungry cattle browse upon them. The
soil becomes packed hard and unable to
retain moisture 20 much needed for the en-
couragemsnt Of yourg growth.
Don't thin your woodlot too heavily. II
you do, large openings are made through
which sunlight streams 10, drying the soil
and encouraging the growth Of grass, which
should never be suffered to replace the
spongy humus that forms the natural top
layer Of soil 10 healthy forest. A crown
canopy, formed BY the leaves and branch
o., should always shade the forest floor.
Too much light encourages the formation
Of branching, short-stemmed trees.
Don't burn over the woodlot. II has
been pointed out that the woodlot Il not 1T |
for pasture purposes, but even II 1t were,
the burning over Of the soil would still do |
irrepsrabIs damage to young growth, con-
sumo the litter which ought to rot into |
humus, and destroy the very conditions
which nature seeks to establish and pre-
serve.
Don't select only the best trees 10 .
woodlot which needs wedding. Nearly
Every woodlot ID composed Of q mixed
stand In which dead and unsound trees,
weed trees, and sound, useful trees are
II you select and remove
only the choicest living trees, the stand
will grow poorer instead Of better, ard In
time will become almost worthless. An
improvement cutting which, even At
little cost. removes the weed trees and
those which are dead, or otherwise Of little
worth, will give the remaining stand .
clear start. The woodlot quickly responds
to such treatment, improving vigorously
under the new conditions. The larger
yield Of better quality In due time more
than repays the labor.
Don't forget reproduction. In thinning
your woodlot, have one eye TO the young
growth. Spare II ~ much - you can h
Telling and hauling the logs. Give the
seedlings the chance, and they will seIz, 1t
and grow into npliogs and poles. 6sr-
llngs and polls are already valuable, ard q
little later stlll are themselves grown tress
Don't do all your cutting In one spot,
Just becsuse II 10 . tribe more convenient
70 Do 80. By taking tree here and there,
where 1t can best BE- spared or 10 actually
better down, you will secure Jusr - much
wood, and 1t the same time draw - lightly |
- possible On Jour future supply. Where
the stand 10 composed only Of old trees
you may, Of course, often make clear 10
advantage, especially whsrs peighbofias
seed trees viii reseed the opening 70 new
crop.
Don't let the careIessness Of other per
sors 10 the damage to your woodiot BY
Ore which you refrain from doing yourself. |
4 Gre In nsiehborins ssh may creep into
yoar woodiot and burn over Il, scorching
The trunu Of ths tres OF svsu setting ths