Periodical Literature. 69 



tory conditions for natural regeneration make also the need of re- 

 pair planting rare, which where necessary is done with 2 year 

 seedlings. 



On poorer soils the oak regeneration is sometimes completed 

 by planting pine, which either acts as filler and is cut out earlier, 

 or is allowed to grow into the main stand. 



Natural regeneration forms altogether the fundamental prin- 

 ciple of French silviculture, artificial planting is to be resorted to 

 only for recovering mountainsides, waste lands repair planting or 

 introduction of new species. While for France, with its mild 

 and humid climate, the author agrees, that this is the best silvi- 

 cultural policy, in Germany conditions are different, especially for 

 the oak. Not only are climate and available soil less favorable 

 but oak stands in condition for natural regeneration are rare. Ar- 

 tificial reforestation is here forced and is successful. 



The same arguments hold for other species than the oak ; when- 

 ever conditions of site and stand warrant it, natural regeneration 

 is to be preferred, but soil and economic considerations may prop- 

 erly limit its use, as with spruce which on account of wind danger 

 forces to planting; pine which with its exceeding light require- 

 ments on the poor soils to which it is confined forces to the same 

 method. 



While on paper the need of early and repeated thinnings for 

 the proper development is accentuated in the French literature, 

 in practice, the operations are often omitted. The well-known 

 French method of eclaircie par le haut seems also more an 

 academic tenet, than a practised operation except in mixed forest. 



Notable is the longer interval in which thinnings are made, 8 

 to 10 years being the rule, and in the young timber 12 to 20 years. 

 Two thinnings in the 24 year period is prescribed in the working 

 plans of the oak forests visited. The degrees of thinning is ac- 

 cording to German nomenclature moderate; in the 60 year old 

 stands the best trees to be favored in the thinnings are marked 

 with white paint. The underwood is carefully preserved for the 

 sake of soil protection until the regeneration requires its removal. 



The very long rotations, Martin thinks, could be considerably 

 reduced by a more intensive thinning practice. 



While otherwise the silvicultural practice of France in its tech- 

 nical execution in State and corporation forests is excellent, the 

 forest regulation work or working plans leave much to be wished 



