1S85.] THE WIND AND THE WOODS. 373 



•wood with reference to age. A sequence' of diminishing heights of 

 wood should always descend towards the prevalent stormy wind. 

 Each series of woods or forest compartments may be called also a 

 block or felling division, and the ages of woods within it should be 

 so consecutively arranged as to form, or to be about to form, 

 eventually, a complete sequence of heights descending from leeward 

 to windward. Suppose, for instance, in a block 5000 yards long 

 from east to west and 600 yards broad from south to north, divided 

 into eight compartments (each about 625 yards long), we have four 

 different age classes. Here a favourable disposition of ages would 

 be satisfied, if the mature and maturing wood, of sixty-one to eighty 

 years of age, occupied the two most eastern compartments, and the 

 other ages and heights diminished by gradations down to the one to 

 twenty year plants in the westerly compartments. At a different 

 stage, say forty years later, the mature timber would occupy the 

 fifth and sixth compartments, counting from the east ; and the dis- 

 position of ages would be equally satisfactory, the other classes being 

 in their regular resulting order, viz. — on the extreme east, 154 acres 

 of twenty-one to forty year wood; next to windward, 154 acres one 

 to twenty year wood ; next towards the wind, the mature timber on 

 154 acres ; and finally, on the west, 154 acres of wood with an age of 

 forty-one to sixty years. After forty years more, the mature timber 

 would again be in the eastern compartments, and the other classes 

 would then again form a complete sequence witli ages diminishing 

 regularly towards the west. 



The foregoing may be summarized in the form of two general 

 rules : — That in a block or felling division, all age classes up to 

 mature timber inclusive should be present, occupying equivalent 

 rectangular areas ; and that the age classes should, if possible, form, 

 or be about to form, a sequence of ages and heights descending 

 tovv'ards the stormy quarter. 



Although in practice the pattern here sketched can seldom, if ever, 

 be attained to in its entirety, yet it is necessary to aim at it and to 

 approach a step or two nearer to it as occasion permits. "Wherever 

 extensive planting operations are being undertaken, it would be well 

 to bear the principle in mind. N. N. 



Decoration.— Mr. David Cannon, Les Vaux, Salbris (Loir-et- 

 Cher), one of our valued contributors, has received the distinction 

 of Chevalier du Mdritc agricole, for services as a foreigner 

 interested in the cause of sylviculture. 



