WORKING PLANS 211 



Part II is the plan proper. It may be extremely complex, 

 but it will be prepared by the compiler, and only a few points 

 need be considered here in order to enable the woodman to 

 understand the reasons of the prescriptions laid down. 



In the first place it has to be considered what the object 

 aimed at is. For example, it might be that the woods were 

 required to supply pit-props, or to meet some special industry 

 such as that of the wheelwright, the chair-maker, or the clog- 

 maker or large timber may be aimed at, or a part may 

 be required for shooting coverts, and so forth. 



Next the special circumstances of the property have to be 

 considered, for example, the presence or absence of a saw-mill, 

 a line of rail, a wharf, a canal, these affecting the disposal of 

 the produce. Again, the woods may be unusually exposed, 

 or at a very high altitude. In short, a hundred different 

 circumstances may have to be taken into consideration when 

 deciding the form the plan shall take and the method of treat- 

 ment to be prescribed. 



The aim and circumstances being known, the species to 

 maintain or to introduce can be settled, and the sylvicultural 

 method of treatment decided. With this are naturally con- 

 nected the rotation and felling cycles. This is usually the 

 most important part of the plan. 



Then the compiler considers where the markets lie, and 

 decides how many working circles are required. Each working 

 circle is divided into the number of felling areas, sometimes 

 called ' coupes', corresponding to the years of the felling cycle, 

 and the compiler decides upon the arrangement of these felling 

 areas, possibly forming several felling series. When settled, 

 the working circles and felling areas have to be plotted on the 

 large-scale map and the acreage worked out. 



Some further explanation appears desirable regarding this 

 division of the forest into working circles and felling series. 



