IMPRESSIONS OF FORESTRY IN THE SCHWARZWALD. 1 69 



first, after the initial seeding stage is past. Thirdly, regeneration 

 is completed and the balance of the overhead protection trees 

 removed as speedily as possible. Nevertheless it often happens 

 that large trees have to be felled after there is a considerable 

 covering on the ground of fairly advanced young growth. 

 When this is the case, the woodmen very often do a thing 

 which seems at first sight to be the worst possible practice. 

 They fell the old trees, not on the comparatively bare ground with 

 few seedlings, but right into the very thickest and best of the 

 young growth. The reason for this is that in these thickets 

 there are perhaps 50 per cent, more young trees than are 

 necessary for a crop, so that it is no disadvantage at all if 

 a considerable number are destroyed. On the other hand, 

 there may be no young trees to spare at all in the thinly 

 stocked parts. Sometimes it is necessary to lop the branches of 

 the heavy crowned old trees previous to felling, in order to 

 prevent damage, but if the felling is promptly and skilfully 

 pressed on through the various seedling stages, little harm results 

 to young growth. 



The tree cutters are very clever workmen, and they speak 

 somewhat contemptuously of the unskilled " tree-killers " who 

 do the felling in the plains, where the clear-felling system is 

 practised. The tree felling is done with the axe and the 

 saw, almost precisely in the same way as we find it done in 

 Scotland. 



Tree Diseases and Insect Enemies. 



The disease of most practical importance in the silver fir 

 forests is that causing the cankerous growths and swellings on 

 the stems, that, namely, due to ^cidimn {Peridermium) elattnum. 



Owing to a too rigid adherence to the system of 

 thinning, by which suppressed trees only were removed, this 

 very objectionable disease has got a considerable hold and 

 does a great deal of harm. Its effects are apparent in two ways. 

 In the first place, it reduces the value of the timber, which is 

 absolutely useless at the affected parts except for fuel; and 

 secondly, when the cankerous growths entirely encircle the 

 stems, the trees are constantly being broken over at the affected 

 parts whenever gales occur. The canopy thus gets much 

 interrupted, weeds gain an entrance, there is a loss of increment, 



VOL. XXI. PART II. M 



