STATE AND OTHER FORESTS OF FRANCE. 107 



PART IV. 



Short Account of the Forest of Compiegne. 



By Professor Fisher. 

 (From Notes by M. Rficopfi, Conservateur des Eaux et Forets, Paris.) 



Situation and Area. 



The State Forest of Compiegne, in the Departement de I'Oise, 

 in the conservation of Paris, about fifty-two miles to the north- 

 east of Paris, has an area of 36,072 acres. It is separated only 

 by the river Aisne from the large State Forest of Laigue 

 (10,000 acres). 



Most of the forest (about 25,000 acres) is on level ground in 

 the valley of the Aisne, the remainder being on a range of hills 

 to the east and south. The altitude of the forest above sea- 

 level varies between 117 and 497 feet. The inspector in charge 

 is M. Peiffer. 



Geology and Soil. 



The chief geological strata are: Upper white chalk {Craie a 

 belemnitelles), Bracheux sand {Sables de Bracheux), plastic clay 

 and lignite {Argile plastique ei lignite). These underlie more 

 than half the forest area. On the slopes of the hills nummulitic 

 Soissons sand {Sables nummulitiques de Soissons) occurs, and on 

 the plateau above the slopes are coarse milialitic and nummulitic 

 limestone {Calcaire grassier a milialites et a nummulites). All 

 strata above the chalk are Eocene. Alluvial deposits cover the 

 low ground, and the plateau is overlaid with loam. 



The soil is generally poor, dry, and shallow ; moderate fertility 

 can be secured only by maintaining a dense crop of trees under 

 high forest treatment. The plastic clay holds a supply of 

 rather stagnant water, which forms some ponds and marshy 

 depressions. 



Forest Growth. 



The forest is stocked with oak, beech, hornbeam, and other 

 broad-leaved trees. In a few places there are conifers forty to 

 sixty years old. An area of 32,292 acres, divided into ten 

 working-sections, each treated independently, is managed as 

 high forest, with natural regeneration obtained by successive 

 fellings (shelter-wood compartment system) ; periodic thinnings 



