92 METHODS OF TREATMENT 



seedlings germinate in spring. The dragging out of the timber 

 will bury a considerable quantity of the seed, but if thought 

 desirable a harrow may be dragged over the ground to make 

 matters more sure ; the admission of cattle at this stage is 

 advantageous, as they tread in the seed. If the operations 

 have been well carried out, a thick crop of seedlings will 

 shortly appear, and the final work is to remove the shelter 

 wood. This is done by one or more final cuttings, during 

 which the shelter wood is gradually cut down at such intervals 

 as appears necessary for the benefit of the young crop. As 

 long as this looks healthy and is growing well, the shelter 

 trees may be allowed to stand as they rapidly increase in girth 

 and value owing to their isolated position. 



Usually with beech a cutting is made when the seedlings 

 are two years old, and this is repeated at intervals of three or 

 four years till the young crop is completely uncovered ; 

 matters may be hastened when there is little or no danger 

 from frost or weeds. Under favourable circumstances the 

 final stage is completed in six to eight years, while occasionally 

 it may take as long as fifteen. 



When the last of the shelter trees have been removed, any 

 blanks in the young crop are filled up by transplanting trees 

 from patches where the regeneration has been successful, or 

 by introducing another species. In fact this is a good oppor- 

 tunity to plant larch, oak, ash, and other species into the 

 beech wood to form a mixture. 



It would appear at first sight that the removal of the shelter 

 wood must do considerable damage to the young crop. This, 

 however, is not the case if the fellings are carried out with 

 reasonable care. There are usually a very large number of 

 seedlings on the ground, and a considerable proportion of 

 these may be destroyed in the final operations without en- 

 dangering the success of the regeneration. What appears to 

 be great damage while the plants are two or three years old 

 will not be noticeable after a few years when the surrounding 



