I04 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



adopted in the Forests of Retz and Compiegne, will be reintro- 

 duced into Belleme. 



Regeneration is generally effected in three fellings — the seeding, 

 secondary, and final felling. Young oak will not stand much 

 shade, and reproduction is so successful in Belleme that twelve 

 years and even less time suffice to restock a felling area. 



Before the seeding felling, all the beech advance growth is 

 cut, and the standards are left so far apart that their crowns 

 touch when a fair breeze is blowing. Chiefly oak standards are 

 left at the seeding felling, with a few beech to complete the 

 cover. The ground is then frequently hoed up to keep down 

 brambles, and to assist the acorns in germination. Wherever 

 there is not a sufficient supply on the ground, acorns brought from 

 other forests are roughly sown under the standards ( Croquetages). 



As the trees are so tall, their tops are lopped off before they 

 are felled, by men who climb the trees with climbing-irons. If 

 application be made to the Inspector beforehand, this operation 

 can be shown to the visitors, ten francs being a usual present to 

 the man who lops the trees. 



At the secondary felling, most of the beech standards are 

 felled, and the oak standards are thinned out wherever the 

 young seedlings are fairly numerous. All remaining standards 

 come out at the final felling, except a few monumental trees left 

 here and there in the forest. 



After the final felling, a cleaning is made to set free oak 

 saplings that are overcrowded by beech, the latter being either 

 seedlings or coppice -shoots from the advance growth. All 

 softwoods are also pulled up by the roots or cut back. All 

 gaps are then planted up with oak transplants, and with ash in 

 the moister parts of the felling areas. Similar cleanings are 

 repeated when necessary, till the crop is about 25 years old. 



Thinnings. — Thinnings are made, in woods over 25 years old, 

 twice in 25 years, though these were made only once up to 

 1882, but did not set free the oaks sufficiently. The markings 

 for the thinnings are made progressively, as the operation 

 proceeds, and the yield from all young thinnings is sold by unit 

 of produce, that is, the produce is stacked in cords and paid for 

 by the purchaser, who has agreed to take each class of firewood 

 or any timber at a rate fixed by public auction beforehand, but 

 the quantity of material is not specified then, although an 

 estimate of it is given. When the trees are about 100 years old, 



