TENDING OF WOODS. 191 



procured to a sufficient extent by the following simple 

 agencies: 



(a.) The preservation of a suitable cover overhead ; 

 (&.) The preservation of the natural covering of the 

 soil, more especially of humus. 



How these affect the soil has been described on 

 page 145 of Volume I. The principal fact is that the 

 activity of the soil and a healthy development of the 

 crop growing on it are intimately connected with each 

 other, and that one exercises a heathful effect upon the 

 other. At the same time the requirements of the one 

 may be opposed to that of the other, and it must be a 

 leading principle that the tending of the crop should 

 always take into consideration a proper preservation of 

 the fertility of the soil. 



The above remarks refer to the case of woods which 

 are fully stocked ; in other words, crowded woods. Cases 

 may occur, however, where it is desirable to interrupt 

 the leaf-canopy at a certain age to form open woods ; in 

 such cases separate steps must be taken to preserve the 

 fertility of the soil. 



Again, during the first part of the life of a wood it 

 is subject to special dangers, most of which disappear 

 later on, when the attention of the forester must be 

 directed to other matters. 



The subject may, therefore, be divided into the fol- 

 lowing three sections : 



I. Tending of woods during early youth ; 

 II. ,, of crowded woods after early youth ; 

 III. of open 



