LIMITS TO USE OF LITTER. 777 



indeed be completely secured, but every effort must be made 

 in this direction and the removal of the humus should never 

 be permitted. The more a locality requires protection, the 

 more superficial should be the removal of the litter ; this is 

 possible if the workmen are engaged by the forest-manager, 

 but when the peasants remove litter on their own account, it 

 is better to allot a large area instead of a small one for the 

 removal of litter. The mossy carpet in spruce and silver-fir 

 forests should never be removed entirely, but only in patches 

 or strips. The hoe must never be used for removing heather 

 in sods. When dead leaves are raked together, only a wooden 

 rake with wide intervals between the teeth should be used, 

 never an iron rake. 



5. Lcii'/th of Close -time. 



The length of close-time between two successive removals 

 of litter from the same area depends on the nature of the 

 locality ; the soil and configuration of the ground should be 

 considered first, and, only in the second place, the species, 

 age, and condition of the wood. It requires no argument to 

 prove that the forester should insist on as long a close-time as 

 possible, and should only consent to an interval less than six 

 years when absolutely compelled to do so. The close-time 

 maybe shortened in crops of trees that have attained their full 

 maturity, but must be kept as long as possible in the case of 

 young woods. 



6. Season. 



Heather and broom should be harvested just before they are 

 completely in blossom, ferns* in the autumn ; on regeneration- 

 areas it is better to collect litter somewhat late in the year. 

 Ground-litter should be raked up chiefly in autumn, while the 

 leaves are falling. Wherever the removal of litter must take 

 place in spring, it should be restricted as much as possible in 

 quantity ; the farmer, however, requires more litter in spring 

 than in autumn. Dry weather is preferable for the removal of 

 litter, as then the work is less laborious, and because, in wet 



* [Hon. G. Lascelles. Deputy Surveyor, New Forest, states that if bracken is 

 cut before the end of September, as in the forest of Dean, its rhizomes become 

 greatly weakened, and the crop becomes gradually poorer. Tr.] 



