VISIT TO A FRENCH PRIVATE FOREST. I 73 



These are separated by well cleared paths, while rides and 

 alleys abound within the area, which is crossed in all directions 

 by excellent departmental roads {chemins de grande conwiunica- 

 tion) ; but the minor roads are serviceable only in fine weather, 

 and the authorities might well be approached with a view to 

 their improvement. Every portion of the forest is consequently 

 thoroughly accessible, and the highest ruling local prices should 

 therefore be realisable for the produce of the fellings. The 

 pine P. pinaster, locally and erroneously known as sapiti, is 

 treated under a rotation of from 60 to 65 years. The oak and 

 hornbeam are coppiced at 16 or 17 years, standards of the 

 same species, not exceeding 20 per acre, being reserved. Rather 

 more than two-thirds of the forest is under pine, and the 

 remainder consists of coppice. The clayey soil is distinctly 

 damp and cold ; it cannot be regarded as at all desirable for 

 the oak, but it suits the hornbeam well, and is by no means 

 unfavourable to the pine and chestnut. At the end of the 

 rotation the oak-coppice averages 18 feet in height; hornbeam 

 of the same age runs to about 3 feet more, and appears, as 

 might be expected from the physical conditions obtaining, to be 

 in every way more flourishing. In low situations, the difference 

 between the development of the two species is even more marked. 

 The majority of the coppice felling areas are of mixed 

 stocking, but there are also a few areas of either species pure. 

 The coppice is sold " standing " to a contractor, who has also 

 a right to all undergrowth. He is in fact bound to fell and 

 remove it, although it barely pays him to do so. The stools 

 are cut absolutely flush with the ground, and the whole felling 

 area is exceedingly well cleaned. The produce is utilised for 

 charcoal as well as fuel, and the oak faggots are barked for 

 tannin. The coppice fetches rather under ^5 per acre. Under 

 a rotation of 16 years the return works out to about 6s. per 

 acre per annum. As compared with the hornbeam the oak 

 has a very much better reputation as fire-wood, and fetches a 

 far higher price, but it is reported by the Regisseur to be 

 annually deteriorating in quality and outturn. In other words, 

 the quality of the locality is not improving. At first sight the 

 substitution of hornbeam, which suits the locality admirably, 

 would seem to be indicated. Unfortunately this timber is 

 often almost unsaleable, and at the best it fetches such a low 

 price as to be scarcely worth the trouble and cost of production. 



