G42 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



2. Of second importance: Reforestation of denuded areas chiefly 

 by planting, but partly by sowing. It is expected that a great deal of 

 plant stock and of the seed will be secured from Germany. Nurseries, 

 however, must be established by the French Service in zones of heavy 

 fighting where the damage is greatest. 



T. S. W., Jr. 



Emile Mer gives some interesting figures that 

 Effect of show that thinnings tend to increase the growth 



Thinnings of the larger fir trees more than the smaller 



on Fir trees of a stand. He makes two general conclu- 



sions : (1) Trees whose growth has fallen con- 

 siderably below the average growth of the stand had best be removed 

 (other things being equal), because they are least benefited by thin- 

 nings. (3) Thinnings in French fir stands should begin earlier, for 

 the younger trees are most benefited. The increased growth "should 

 largelv compensate for the cost of the work." 



T. S. W., Jr. 



Revue des Eaux et Forets, pp. 141-146, lGo-175. 1919. 



Removal of leaf-litter under stands of hard- 

 Soil wood species (beech, oak, ash), either by ero- 



Maintenancc sion, by wind, or otherwise, results in a harden- 

 ing of the surface soil (especially on heavy 

 soils) which is usually soon covered with a matted vegetation of Poly- 

 trichu-m or other moss. These conditions seriously afifect the growth 

 of the forest. To hold the leaf-litter in place, the smaller branches 

 resulting from logging operations were scattered over the ground. 

 Examination six years later showed a heavy cover of leaves, no moss, 

 and surface soil free from crust, in sharp contrast to nearby areas not 

 so treated. W. N. S. 



Schroder. Bodcnpflcge durch Rcisigdcckung. Deutsch. Forstztg. 34:162- 

 163. 1919. 



MENSURATION, FINANCE, AND MANAGEMENT 



Administration of the 982,000 hectares of for- 



Swiss Forests est lands in Switzerland, one-fourth of the total 



During the War area of the country, is decentralized. Cantonal 



forests comprise 4 per cent of the forest area, 



communial forests 67 per cent, and private forests 29 per cent. There are 



no national forests, and the national forest service employs only IT pro- 



