322 DETERMINATION OF THE YIELD. 



b. Merits of the Method. 



The principal assumption of Hundeshagen is not quite 

 correct ; at any rate there is no justification for maintaining 

 that the real yield bears the same proportion to the real 

 growing stock as the normal yield to the normal growing stock, 

 because the rate of increment is not determined by the quan- 

 tity of growing stock which stands in a forest. On the con- 

 trary, a large growing stock consisting of defective old woods 

 may give a small increment, while a small growing stock 

 consisting of vigorous young woods may show a large 

 increment. 



The method, if applied rigorously, may lead to absurd 

 measures, just in the same way as the Austrian method ; 

 it prescribes a definite annual yield, while not a single mature 

 wood may be present ; or it prescribes too small a yield, 

 whenever a considerable portion of the area is stocked with 

 decrepid old woods, which ought to be cut over as quickly as 

 possible, and replaced by vigorous young woods. In all such 

 cases, the yield, as fixed by the formula, must be modified in 

 accordance with the requirements of each case. 



The method does not distinguish in the yield between 

 increment and growing stock, and in this respect, it stands 

 below the Austrian method. Moreover, it may drag a surplus 

 of growing stock over even more than one rotation. 



Hundeshagen assumes that, with the yield calculated ac- 

 cording to his method, the normal growing stock will be 

 established naturally, as the yield bears a fixed proportion to 

 the real growing stock ; if the latter is greater than the normal 

 amount, more than the increment will be removed, and vice 

 versa. This is ordinarily the case, but not under all circum- 

 stances. If, for instance, both the increment and growing 

 stock are deficient, the yield may be greater than the incre- 

 ment, so that the growing stock is still further reduced, at any 

 rate for a time ; hence the establishment of the normal state 

 may be considerably delayed. 



