446 Forestry Quarterly. 



of loess, from 3-15 meters overlying a Triassic formation of red 

 sandstone, shell limestone and keuper. 



In the middle ages these forests were pure broadleafed forests 

 of Beech, Oak, Hornbeam. Linden, Aspen and Birch, but no coni- 

 fers, and were treated in an irregular way as selection forests. 

 Oak and Beech were the species most favored, the former for 

 building purposes and also on account of the acorns produced for 

 the pigs, and Beech because it produced the best fuelwood and 

 litter. There was always pasture land in these forests, and the 

 litter has been raked from time immemorial. 



Two hundred years ago these forests were divided up into fell- 

 ing areas and treated under the middle forest system or coppice 

 under standards. The annual cut was confined to one felling 

 area every year, the whole of the forest being cut over in about 

 30 years. 



As standards in a middle forest, only light needing species with 

 light crowns are suitable. Beech is not good for this purpose 

 and, therefore. Beech was largely cut out. Linden was also cut 

 away in favor of other species, as it had no value at that time, and 

 at the present time it is hardly found here at all. 



After the Linden and so many of the Beech had been cut away 

 the Aspen and Birch increased enormously and the soil became 

 covered with weeds and grass. From decade to decade a larger 

 percentage of the area became occupied by these light needing 

 species and the soil lost a good deal of its yield capacity so that 

 the standard Oaks became stag-headed. The soil in these forests 

 is, however, so well adapted to the production of Beech that there 

 was always a good deal of natural regeneration of it and it could 

 not be crowded out like the Linden. 



The condition of these forests finally deteriorated so much that 

 it was found necessary to adopt another system and to convert 

 them into high forests. Previous to this system being finally 

 adopted, more and more overholders were annually left so that 

 the final conversion was greatly simplified. Since the last 20 

 years these forests have been treated entirely as high forests. 

 Consequently, we now find an upper story of Beech and Oak, with 

 a few Hornbeam and Birch, from 70-150 years old, and a lower 

 story of stump sprouts of Beech and Hornbeam with a few Oak, 

 Aspen and Birch. 



