232 FORESTRY IN FRANCE. 
together ; but by the selection method, on the contrary, a more or 
less near approach to a natural forest is obtained. 
In the Coppice system the regeneration is principally effected by 
means of coppice shoots. There are two methods of treatment— 
simple coppice, in which there are no reserved trees, and the crop is 
clean-felled over successive portions of the forest; and coppice 
under standards, in which standard trees are selected and reserved, 
with a view to their remaining throughout several generations of 
coppice shoots—generally at least three, but often four or five. 
Many forests are now undergoing conversion from the system of 
coppice to that of high-forest. 
The following statement shows the extent to which the two 
systems were applied, in the State and communal forests, in 1876, 
since which year no important changes have taken place. The areas 
are given in square miles. 
High- Under 
arnati Conversion? Coppice. Pastures. Total. 
State Forests, : : 1648 1121 749 225 3,73 
Communal Forests, E E2229 54 4808 92 7,183 
Totals, . . : 3877 DLS 5548 317 10,917 
It will be seen that there is a marked difference between the State 
and the communal forests in this respect. In the former, nearly 
three-quarters of the total area are either now under high-forest or 
under conversion to that system ; while in the latter, two-thirds of 
the total area are under coppice, and less than one-third is either 
under high-forest or under conversion. 
High-forest being usually destined to produce large timber, the 
trees must be left standing until they have attained a considerable 
age; and the capital, both in timber and money, which is locked 
up in it, is therefore much larger than that in a forest under coppice. 
Other conditions being equal, the quantity of wood produced annu- 
ally is, however, much the same under both systems ; but owing to 
the greater value of the produce obtained from the high-forest, its 
money revenue is greater than that of the coppice, while on the 
other hand it is found that coppice yields a higher rate of interest 
on its smaller capital value than high-forest, and on this account it 
is a more suitable system for adoption by communes. Coppice 
possesses, also, a further advantage for them, in that it yields for 
the use of the inhabitants timber and other produce more varied in 
kind and dimensions than are obtainable from high-forest, and it 
