Plan to Meet Needs for Wood and Timber. 315 



is to some extent at least the same liability to deterioration as in 

 the clearing and planting method- 



Nevertheless, this feature remains the best argument for the 

 natural regeneration, and vice versa, the fact that in the artificial 

 method the soil is bared and that the planted crop on account of 

 expense is less dense and closes up to shade the ground consider- 

 ably later than in a successful natural regeneration, is the most 

 valid objection to the planting method. 



We must, however, not overlook that the need of soil pro- 

 tection is not everywhere prominent, and moreover, can be 

 secured by advance planting before the old crop is removed, 

 and by dense planting, perhaps with a cheap nurse crop. Planting 

 undoubtedl}^ costs money, requires a direct outlay, but its advan- 

 tages are many, namely, avoidance of damage to the young crop 

 in the operation of harvesting, independence of the harvest from 

 the process of restocking, a gain in time, the possibility of the 

 choice of species, the completeness of the stand which can be 

 forced. If properly conducted it is a cheap and reliable method. 



There are fashions in methods of operation as well as in clothes ; 

 natural regeneration was in fashion in Germany 80 to 100 years 

 ago. This is the reason, so writes an authority from Wiirttem- 

 berg, that the age class of 80-100 in the State forests is deficient. 

 The fact that the beech area in Germany has since 1820 been 

 reduced to about one-half of what it was is also in part at least 

 ascribed to the failure of natural regeneration, this species being 

 supposed to be capable of being reproduced by that method alone. 

 Nature is still more obstinate than foresters, says a prominent 

 writer in comment, and usually remains in the right; the cost of 

 the quarrel falls to the loser. 



By 1840, planting had become fashionable, especially in the 

 pineries. In the 8o's, under the leadership of Gayer, a reaction 

 set in, and natural regeneration came again to the front, at least in 

 theoretical teaching, while in practice a larger and larger share 

 was given to artificial restocking, so that now over 60 per cent 

 of German State forests are managed under a clearing and re- 

 planting system. So anxious have the adherents of natural regen- 

 eration become that last year they saw the need of forming a 

 special association for the advocacy of their hobby — ^an economic 

 joke ! 



