154 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



There are already several pure plantations of Abies Pinsapo in 

 that country, at elevations from 900 to 1500 feet, growing well 

 on various aspects and on various soils. The author specially 

 mentions two plantations of this species near one of the tribu- 

 taries of the Aude river, and of this river it is significantly said 

 that it was originally very torrential, but is now nearly regular 

 as a consequence of the plantations made in its basin during the 

 last fifty years. 



VII. — One reads a great deal more in French forestry journals 

 about the classic Methods of Treatment, and working-plans 

 built on them, than one does at home. This is natural, no 

 doubt, for the state and communal forests and those of public 

 establishments are by law all governed by them, and these 

 constitute a much larger proportion of the whole wooded area 

 of the country than is the case with us. Nevertheless we too 

 have plenty of areas under formed forest — that is, forest proper, 

 as against mere plantations not yet grown to maturity — and it is 

 suggested that all such areas might with advantage be worked 

 under a carefully thought-out scheme, from which no deviations 

 should be allowed without a thoroughly good reason. Other- 

 wise there are bound to be constant changes of policy, which is 

 a thing fatal to the proper working of woodlands. The necessary 

 self-control is doubtless trying, but is amply worth while. It is, 

 however, a curious fact that until one has got accustomed to one's 

 working-plan one constantly fails to carry out the prescriptions 

 (prescriptions that have been laid down after long and careful 

 study), and even the most glaring deviations somehow do not 

 strike one unless some plan is adopted of bringing them clearly 

 to one's attention. For this reason a working-plan ought 

 always to contain a tabular statement showing, for each year, 

 the exact spot where the prescribed operations are to be carried 

 out, and, each year, a control form should be written up, 

 showing, on the left, the prescriptions laid down for the year, 

 and, on the right, the things actually done. If one is strict 

 with oneself in this matter, instead of working haphazard, the 

 improvement in results will be found to be quite surprising. 

 Of course heavy cutting, without a scheme, may give very 

 pleasing financial results for a time, but if the amount cut 

 exceeds the "possibility" (that is, the total amount of wood 

 added in a year to the whole area, assuming the forest normal) 



