MACHINE WEEDING SHRUBS FROM CONIFER PLANTATIONS

A series of machine attachments have been designed, constructed, and t ested on a variety of prime movers for removing unwanted shrubs from c onifer plantations. Early investigations revealed that many of the com mon forest shrubs could not withstand vertical force application. Smal l machines, with appropriate tools can lift these plants, including mo st of their root system, out of the soil. Because these systems are tr eating one plant at a time, they are most efficient with stands of lar ger shrubs. These methods avoid the use of herbicides and are substant ially cheaper than the use of hand crews.