NATURAL REGENERATION. 159 



manner, the soil at the advent of the seed year being 

 in a favourable condition for germination, and extremes 

 of climatic conditions, such as frost or drought, not 

 causing lasting damage, then the result of the opera- 

 tion is sure to be satisfactory ; in other words, a 

 healthy young crop will have been produced. If, on 

 the other hand, such a happy Coincidence of conditions 

 should not take place, the results may be far from satis- 

 factory. It must be remembered that, in this case 

 success or failure extends over a considerable area, all 

 concentrated in one place ; if it is a failure, only 

 a thin cover overhead will be left, under which the soil 

 may deteriorate rapidly whilst a second or third seed 

 year is awaited. In some cases the trees may be suffi- 

 ciently vigorous to extend their crowns and to re- 

 establish the cover, so that the process of regeneration 

 may be initiated a second time and brought to a success- 

 ful conclusion; but in the majority of cases this will 

 not be possible, the soil will suffer, and artificial culti- 

 vation has to step in. 



(5.) In summing up, it may be said that the compart- 

 ment system is indicated in localities which are not 

 exposed to exceptionally unfavourable climatic con- 

 ditions, and which have a soil of a fairly uniform 

 character. Where the opposite conditions prevail, the 

 group or selection system may be preferable ; at the 

 same time it must not be overlooked, that the draw- 

 backs of the system can be eliminated to a con- 

 siderable extent by reducing the area to be dealt with 

 at one time in one locality. The system is better 

 adapted for the regeneration of pure than of mixed 

 woods. 



