664 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



cumspection. A fourth characteristic is the method of character of 

 regeneration, which Morosow accepts as an important criterion, but 

 Arnould rejects because it is largely due to accidental influences and 

 does not belong into a "natural classitication," just as in entomology 

 the habits of the insects do not serve as basis of classification. 



A few examples are given showing that reliance on the character 

 of the regeneration may lead to a misrepresentation of facts. A 

 scientific classification, the author contends, must be established out- 

 side of considerations of management, must be in conformity with 

 natural laws determined by readily distinguishable characters and 

 have as basis the soil, all other distinguishing characters being of 

 .secondary importance. 



The author realizes that it is difficult to judge the quality of the 

 soil. This, one would think, can be done most readily by recognizing 

 difference in results as represented by the stands, but the same re- 

 sults may be effected by different conditions of soil. Hence the need 

 of these other characteristics, as the composition, the living soil cover, 

 etc., are added to facilitate the judgment of soil quality. 



The author also recognizes that the size of the area to which the 

 type classification extends will influence the classification, and makes 

 a distinction between permanent and temporary types, due to man's 

 influence, fire, etc. 



A page is devoted to the discussion of density. It is shown that 

 whatever theoretically the definition of density, the practical determi- 

 nation rests entirely on three personal notions as regards number of 

 specimens, size of crowns and character of the composition, thus "we 

 obtain a subjectivity of the third degree and to speak plainly, we obtain 

 nothing at all." It is necessary to find an objective method which takes 

 into consideration only the spacing of the crowns independent of the 

 composition, age and other cultural conditions of the stand. He solves 

 this problem by calling density 1 when the crowns touch ; again it will 

 not be difficult to recognize density .5, /. e., a spacing which would 

 allow interposition between the existing crowns of the same number 

 of crowns, and "with these two limits it will be easy to determine 

 exactly the intermediate densities." ( ! ?) 



In conclusion it is suggested that the fauna of the stand should 



be utilized to characterize it, giving lists of those animals, insects, 



etc., which are more or less fixed tenants of the condition in which 



the stand finds itself. 



L'idSe forestiere d V Stranger. Les types de peuplement; leur classification. 

 Revue des Eaux et Forets, April, 1917, pp. 97-106. 



