314 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
up of gaps and openings that occur from various reasons, such 
as wind-falls. Tending the woods under these circumstances 
demands great attention, and it is full of interest; and great 
judgment is required during the time the over-wood is still 
present. 
In dealing with the group system, after a young crop has been 
established by cutting away the trees shading the centre, it 
begins to grow rapidly in height, the young shoots gradually 
getting longer and longer until the normal is reached. ‘These 
groups are widened by gradually giving more light and by the 
removal of the mother-trees. Should any of the trees in the 
group show a tendency to branch, they are pruned, a procedure 
which is frequently required in the case of the silver fir. While 
the crop is still young, weeds, such as the sallow and other 
undesirable species, are cut out, and all material damaged by the 
felling of the over-wood is also removed. When all the old 
wood has been removed from the compartment, very little is 
done, and suppressed trees are often left for a long time in the 
groups, as it does not pay to cut them out. When the trees 
have reached a considerable growth they are thinned, so as to 
encourage a good increment and to become wind-firm; and as a 
result a young dense wood is led over to an open wood, and the 
result is that the soil is again gradually covered with a growth of 
trees to be used for the next crop. The rotation extends to 
about 120 to 140 years. 
As has been already stated, the population depend upon 
this industry for their living, and the wood-cutters, growing 
up from infancy in the forest, are very skilful; and as the 
work is done by contract, and every man knows the best 
way to fell a tree and cut it up so as to yield the most 
valuable assortment of timber, a very limited supervision is 
necessary. The forest guards do all the superintendence, 
and as they are drawn from the ranks of the wood-cutters, they 
are thoroughly acquainted with the details of the work they are 
called upon to supervise. It often happens that a number of 
trees are blown down by the wind, and then the wood-cutters’ 
first duty is to have them cleared from the roads and ridges, 
and afterwards the isolated trees scattered about the forest are 
removed in order to prevent them from doing harm to the young 
generation. All these logs are barked, and are cut into assorted 
sizes before the men proceed with their regular fellings. The 
