132 FOREST PLANTING. 



by rain ; but the rows in which the seeds are distributed 

 m:iy easily be washed out if they arc very long and not 

 laid quite horizontally. For this reason it is recom- 

 mended to interrupt long seed-rows often, and never neg- 

 lect to give them a horizontal and level situation. 



Inundations within the forests, caused by long con- 

 tinued rains may also do much injury by washing away 

 the precious uppersoil consisting of rotten and half rot- 

 ten leaves of the trees and twigs ; and by hurting tree- 

 growth itself through temporary submersion of the roots 

 and parts of the trunks ; but most of the damage is 

 done where forests abut for long distances on streams 

 which are apt to overflow, especially at the opening of 

 spring when the ice-covering is broken up. In such 

 case big floating ice-cakes are sent by the current into 

 the woods exposed to the river-floods, cutting or bending 

 down every tree which is not strong enough, to with- 

 stand the pressure caused by the intruding ice-cakes. 

 In order to prevent or at least to lessen those dangerous 

 actions of inundations, copse-wood, with short periods of 

 rotation should be cultivated on the forest territory as 

 far as it is exposed to such overflows. The copse culture 

 is here recommended because the trees, best adapted for 

 it are quick growers, reaching soon above the high 

 water mark and possess in their elastic stems and 

 branches efficient means to break the force of currents, 

 thereby lessening the dangers threatened by the floating 

 ice-cakes. 



The banks of such streams should be planted with 

 rows of so-called " Pollards " * to ward off, as much as 



* Pollards (in German KopfhiJlzer) arc hardy but well copsing trees of 

 which not only the tops but also parts of their trunks are lopped off so 

 that about 8 or 10 feet of the stems remain. At the new top sprouts 

 will come out forming new branches. By this treatment we obtain 

 more powerful trees which arc able to resist the inroads of the ice-cakes 

 and to detain .them from entering the over-flooded parts of the forest. 



