EFFECT OF THINNING AND NATURAL VARIATION IN BOLE ROUNDNESS IN SCOTS PINE (PINUS-SYLVESTRIS L.)

Bole eccentricity of Scots pine stems was measured on cross-sections o f 30 trees felled from two (45 and 76 years old) thinning experiments in South Finland. Eccentricity was greatest at stump height and dimini shed on moving up the stem. At breast height, it varied from 2 to 9% i rrespective of stand age or relative tree size. Orientation in the lon gest bole radius showed no unambiguous dependence on compass direction , slope direction or wind direction, i.e., it appears to be random. St and density and thinnings also had no clear effect on bole eccentricit y. It is suggested that the magnitude of bole eccentricity in the meas ured stands was so small that it has no practical significance. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science B.V.