Current Literature. 701 



amounts of capital and labor. He recognizes the value of artificial 

 reproduction only as means of filling in fail places under natural 

 reproduction. The method which he advises in such cases is 

 ball planting of spruce. 



Being an ardent advocate of natural reproduction, he discusses 

 in detail the conditions under which natural reproduction is pos- 

 sible. The silvicultural systems are dictated by the size of the 

 cuttings. Cuttings over large areas require reproduction at the 

 same time over the entire area, and this can be attained only by 

 clear cutting or shelterwood systems of cutting. Cuttings over 

 small areas require a gradual but constant reproduction over small 

 areas, and this can be secured only by the selection cutting in its 

 various forms. All silvicultural systems of cutting the author 

 analyzes from the point of view of their effectiveness in securing 

 natural reproduction. He entirely rejects simultaneous cuttings 

 over large areas for the reason that they do not correspond to the 

 nature of the forest. As opposed to cuttings over large areas at 

 one time he considers cuttings over small areas under which 

 natural reproduction gradually extends to the entire cut-over area 

 as the form of forest management which corresponds most closely 

 to the nature of the forest. The selection cuttings of Schwartz- 

 wald and of the Vosges, and the selection cuttings in groups of 

 Bavaria have many advantages, but require favorable conditions 

 for success and therefore are not applicable everywhere. It is a 

 well known fact that the appearance and the development of 

 natural reproduction depend almost entirely upon humidity, and 

 therefore the author discusses the silvicultural systems of cutting 

 with reference to this factor. Under the shelter of a uniformly 

 thinned-out stand, the humidity of the soil is not in the optimum 

 condition, because the crowns of the trees intercept a part of the 

 atmospheric precipitation and the roots of the trees drain and 

 dessicate the soil. In selection cuttings in groups the moistening 

 of the soil is in a better condition, and for this reason natural 

 reproduction appears more readily in such groups and develops 

 well. When, however, these groups are widened, too much light 

 is allowed at once and- the soil becomes dry. In his opinion, a 

 narrow strip protected by the shade of the adjoining forest is in 

 the optimum condition as far as the humidity of soil is concerned. 



The essential features to be considered in securing natural re- 



