Performance of four hardwoods on a good preharvested site, without weed control, treated with fire before planting and with and without tree shelter

The performance of four hardwoods, black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.), white oak (Q. alba L.), and cherrybark oak (Q. pagoda Raf.), is being studied on an upland landform in southern Illlinois. The soil is a deep (solum thickness > 160 cm or 63 in), well drained Alford silt loam (fine-silty, mixed mesic Typic Hapludalfs) occupying slopes ranging from 6 to 18 percent. Merchantable trees were harvested, and all remaining trees, shrubs, and grapevines (Vitis spp.) were removed manually. No other site preparation was done until 2 years later when it was estimated that forest floor vegetation was sufficient to support a sustained fire to kill most of the regeneration. The area covered by the burn was inconsistent and will not be discussed further.