TENDING OF WOODS 65 



In all cases the practice was to maintain a complete canopy 

 overhead. 



The new method departs from these principles in two 

 ways. It does not countenance the taking away of weak 

 and partially suppressed trees ; and secondly, it is not afraid to 

 attack the dominant class, nor even to interrupt the canopy, 

 if it be to effect the removal of badly formed, abnormally 

 broad-crowned, and tall " whipping " stems for the benefit of 

 the remainder. 



Attention to soil and wood-crop and the increase of the 

 total production of useful timber are the objects aimed at in 

 the modern system of thinning the yield which the cuttings 

 give is of quite minor importance. 



Instead of ordinary thinnings which remove only the 

 stems, which it is necessary or advisable to take for the well- 

 directed growth of the others, a special kind of intermediate 

 felling is sometimes resorted to. It is really an opening out 

 of the stock, and quite distinct from thinning. By it a 

 greater or smaller portion of the principal stems in the crop 

 is taken sound, healthy, and vigorous trees are removed, 

 and the leaf canopy becomes permanently broken. Opera- 

 tions of this kind are carried out partly to encourage the 

 remaining stems to increased production especially in dia- 

 meter growth and partly to realise more timber from the 

 cuttings than is possible from regular thinnings. Occasionally 

 woods are thus opened out in order to introduce a new crop 

 under the shelter of the older trees. 



A great reduction in the number of stems on the ground 

 has a very marked effect upon the soil. To prevent its 

 deterioration a soil-protection wood, generally of Beech, 

 Spruce, or Silver Fir, is often established. Should the 

 existing wood itself consist of shade-bearing species, under- 

 planting may be impracticable. 



The desirability or otherwise of these heavy cuttings has 

 not yet been definitely decided. As a rule, however, the 

 practice of making a series of cuttings which become gradu- 

 ally more severe the plan followed in the new process of 



