Show im edam PURPOSE OF THINNING TREES plan outlined for keeping forest plantation in thriving condition proper pruning prepared by the united states department of agriculture T the purpose of thinning trees in a 9 forest plantation Is to encourage the growth of the more desirable individuals where the growth Is crowded or A unhealthy it should bo be remedied by the principle Is the same as in other crops which are thinned to promote the best development of a portion rather than a poor growth of the entire crop when trees are young they are very sensitive to the conditions around them and if they are crowded the tendency Is toward a stimulation of growth and an improvement in quality in the thriftier tier individual and a failure in the poorer class tills this process which is entirely natural disposes of a great many of the weaker trees but it if continued too long may mav stunt some of the best trees it Is at this stage that thinning becomes a nece necessity sity and the weak and deformed individuals are removed need of thinning is indicated when there are many dead or dying trees in the stand or when the trees are very slender blender in proportion to their height A stand in need of thinning often has the crowns of all the trees densely matted or so closely interlocked that growth apparently has ceased if the condition of the stand is such that the growth will trill not be lessened it is more satisfactory to postpone the thinning until there Is enough merchantable material to pay for the cost of removing it from the stand the first firlit thinning will yield fuel and small posts and it the poorer material is removed each time each subsequent thinning will yield bigger and better material care should be exercised not to remove so much material that the sunlight will induce a sod cover under the trees pruning is the removal of some portion of a living tree and its purpose may be a to dispose of dead or diseased material b to renew or stimulate growth c e to modify the form of the tree this operation which Is essential to the best growth and development of a tree never should be done carelessly if it Is desired to produce a stem free from branches the young tree should be pruned gradually and a very lew few of the lower limbs removed each year in order to have a well developed stem the crown must be sufficient clent to produce the material the tendency of the average person Is to prune either too much or not at all on young trees the pruning may be carried too far up the stem so that the tree becomes to P and Is deformed or broken off in the first storm stormi pruning Is practiced most often to modify the form of a tree but in many cases it is necessary in order to induce production of merchantable ma aerial some species like the box bos elder or black locust may sprout freely from the root collar and unless the K 1 11 4 LY T Z 0 1 YX I 1 anz ev 7 7 CZ a 16 al ls M tp A 16 we 8 1 f forest plantation well cared for sprouts are removed promptly the new grow th will pass into them and several small stems will develop rather than one large one such sach trees as the honey locust and white el elm have a tendency to branch too near the ground by removing the lower limbs a longer straighter merchantable stem will bo be produced pruning may be done at any season of the year if care Is exercised but the danger of separating the bark from the body is least it the pruning Is done in fall or winter when the tree Is dormant and the sap Is not flowing about one third of the top and brunches branches of a hardwood tree should bo be cut back when the tree Is set out |