l86 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cuttings became very evident as the percentage of deaths was 

 always lowest on that part of the planted area which was to 

 some extent shaded from the sun's rays during the afternoon 

 by the old trees. Although it is unwise to allow the fundamental 

 principles of management to be influenced greatly in order to 

 make provision for exceptional circumstances, such as the 

 drought of 191 1, it is easily seen that Wagner's idea of north to 

 south cuttings would have very great advantages even in spruce 

 woods could it possibly be carried out. In Saxony, at any rate, 

 north to south cuttings are out of the question on account of the 

 wind dangers, but there is always a tendency to throw the cutting 

 direction a little more round to the south in order to gain as much 

 shelter for the young trees as possible. Before going further it 

 would be well to point out that, so far as spruce is concerned, 

 clear felling and planting is the rule and anything else is the 

 exception. Natural regeneration has been repeatedly tried, and 

 has proved consistently to be a failure owing chiefly to unfavour- 

 able conditions of soil and climate, although the spruce is, in any 

 case, an unsatisfactory subject for this method of management. 

 The short " Cutting Series," so characteristic of the Saxon 

 woods, are not obtained without certain sacrifices in other 

 respects, but we find these willingly undertaken in order to 

 obtain and maintain the normal cutting series. Severances, for 

 instance, have frequently to be made where large blocks of even 

 or nearly even aged woods are met with. Again, in order that the 

 " Cutting Series " may be carried right through uninterruptedly, 

 some "stands" {Besfiinde) are often felled below the normal age, 

 and others have to be left till they are considerably above it 

 (see Fig. 3). The whole length of a " Cutting Series " varies, 

 some extending only across one compartment and others extend- 

 ing over two, but longer ones are seldom found. " Cutting Series " 

 do not often extend for the whole length of the compartment, 

 although they normally would do so. In some cases there may 

 not be more than eight or nine "stands" in one " Cutting Series," 

 in which case fellings will not take place oftener than once 

 every 10 years in that particular series. The general rule, 

 however, for regulating how soon one felling is to follow another 

 is that further felling should be postponed until the young 

 plantation on the last area cut has got a good start. This may 

 not take 10 years, but in Saxony it is seldom less than 5, and 

 one of the greatest advantages of short "Cutting Series" is that 



