NATUKAL KEGENERATION. 357 



Where the cover overhead is still complete and no 

 advance growth has made its appearance, regular prepara- 

 tory cuttings are made in the usual way, followed by a 

 seeding cutting, so as to create groups of new growth 

 which form the centres of future operations. 



4. The Selection System of Natural Regeneration under 

 Shelter- Woods. 



Under this system regeneration goes on in all parts of 

 the forest by the removal of the oldest, largest, diseased 

 or defective trees, wherever they are found. No part of 

 the forest is ever at rest ; advantage is taken of all seed 

 years for the re-stocking of small holes cut into the 

 cover here and there by the removal of one or a few trees. 

 Of the large quantities of seed which fall annually or 

 periodically to the ground, only a small portion finds 

 conditions favourable for the development of young 

 trees ; the latter are found chiefly in those parts where 

 old trees are standing, or where the cover has been 

 interrupted. Here little groups of seedings spring up, 

 which must be assisted by cuttings, either final or inter- 

 mediate, to afford them the necessary light. Such 

 cuttings are the only regeneration cuttings made under 

 the system. 



Where an extensive area is treated under this system, 

 it is frequently divided into a number of blocks, one 

 being taken in hand every year. In this way cuttings 

 are made in each block at regular intervals. In the 

 Beech forests of Buckinghamshire it is usual to cut 

 according to the selection system every 7 years ; 

 in the Teak forests of Burma every 10 30 years; 



