306 METHOD OF TREATMENT. 



ment and the general lines of management must be determined 

 locally on the merits of each case. In the following lines only 

 a few general hints are given. 



1. Choice of Species. 



The first step should always be to examine carefully how 

 far the existing species meet the objects of management and 

 suit the locality. If the existing species do not answer, then 

 the forester should not hesitate to change them. On the other 

 hand, the introduction of a new species should not be lightly 

 undertaken, as it generally involves some loss and frequently 

 introduces uncertainty as to future results. Only species 

 which have been tried within a reasonable distance and 

 succeeded, should be chosen. The cultivation of untried 

 species is, in the first place, only justified on a small scale. 

 Above all, personal fancies must be banished from the forester's 

 mind. 



The formation of mixed woods is of the first importance, 

 and its advisability should always be considered. In this 

 respect attention is invited to pages 179 to 202 of Volume I. 



2. Sylvicultural System. 



This depends, of course, on the species which exist on the 

 area, or which have been selected for introduction. 



High forest yields the greatest quantities and generally also 

 the most valuable classes of major produce, as well as various 

 kinds of minor produce ; it is the best system for the preserva- 

 tion of the quality of the locality. On the other hand, it 

 requires in the case of broad-leaved species at least fairly good 

 soil; it also requires a greater capital than other systems, 

 owing to its greater growing stock, accompanied, as a rule, by 

 a lower mean annual forest per cent. The growing stock is 

 also exposed to many dangers, such as snow, ice, wind, insects 

 and fire. High forest must be adopted in the case of all 

 species which cannot be regenerated b} r stool shoots or root 

 suckers. 



