20 FORESTRY 



CHAPTER III 

 FOREST INFLUENCES 



The Importance of Forests 



THE importance of the forest lies chiefly in the numerous 

 uses to which timber is applied. But extensive woodlands 

 have also their significance in providing shelter and food for 

 certain of the domestic animals, protecting agricultural land 

 in their vicinity, harbouring game, preventing erosion in one 

 quarter and fixing drifting sand in another, in beautifying the 

 landscape, and giving opportunity for employment in healthy 

 labour. The industrial aspect is indeed of great moment, 

 especially at a time when depopulation of the country dis- 

 tricts is causing grave concern. 



It seems almost unnecessary to say that timber and fire- 

 wood are the most valued products of the forest. Still, 

 there was a time when, even in Western Europe, what we 

 now consider to be mere subsidiary attributes of the forest 

 the animals of the chase, mast, leaf litter, etc. were more 

 highly esteemed than the trees themselves. The minor pro- 

 ducts, as such material is called, could be easily transported, 

 while of timber there was positively a superabundance. 



The utilisation of the crop of timber is effected very fre- 

 quently by the clearance of larger or smaller areas, this 

 operation being followed by restocking. But the stems are 

 also in part removed in the thinnings as is required in the 

 course of sylvicultural treatment, with the view of promoting 

 the well-being of the remainder. Timber removed in effect- 

 ing the regeneration of the wood or immediately before 

 replanting is called the chief or final yield. All the rest, 

 including thinnings, forms the intermediate yield. In initiating 

 schemes for the working of forest lands it is customary to 

 expressly define the limits of these terms. The purpose they 



