THE NATURAL REGENERATION OF WOODS, an 
given to foster their development by moderate fellings being made 
in their vicinity. As the regular regeneration bands move forward, 
the advance growth groups are embraced by them, so that it may 
happen that final felling is being done in these groups at a time 
when the band in which they are then situated is only in the 
preparatory or seed stage. Although such a case introduces us to 
a compound system (composed of the union of the shelter-wood 
band system and the one which we shall look at presently, namely 
—the shelter-wood group system), it need present no extraordinary 
difficulties, and, if the groups of advance growth are of good 
quality, it would be most irrational to neglect them. 
As regards the breadth and length of the bands, no hard and 
fast rule can be laid down. It is usual to make the breadth 
correspond to the height of the trees (60 to 100 feet), while the 
length is regulated by the dimensions of the wood measured from 
north to south. 
If the length of the wood from east to west is very great, and if, 
at the same time, the length of the bands (7.e., the breadth of the 
wood) is short, it may be advisable to commence regenerating at 
two places, one on the extreme east and the other in the middle ; 
or the process may be hastened somewhat by making the bands 
elbow shaped instead of straight, but this must only be done in 
well-sheltered districts. Where elbow-shaped bands are adopted, 
Se 
tile 
or where it is impossible, owing to the configuration of the ground, 
to fell directly towards the wind, it is often advantageous to leave 
a part of the wood on the west side intact, so as to act as a shelter- 
belt and break the force of the gales. 
This system offers several advantages as compared with the fore- 
going one. Here the danger of total failure over a large area is 
avoided, the risk of the seed and shelter trees being overturned is 
not so great, and as the parts of the wood which are light thinned 
are, for the most part, sheltered from sun and wind by a close 
wood lying to the south-west or west, soil fertility is well 
Side 
Intact Wood 
West 
