SYLVICULTURE. 



VI. Small danger from fire, since the humus is kept moist 

 continuously. On the other hand, a fire once broken out is 

 extremely hard to stop. 



D. Disadvantages: 



I. Logging operations are very scattering, and hence expensive. 

 The fall of individual, large trees amongst the multitude of 



their companions is very apt to inflict wounds upon them, through 

 which fungi and insects enter readily. (Cancerous Firs of the 

 Black Forest.) 



II. A minute network of permanent roads is required. 



III. The primeval woods, wherever they represent the selection 

 type, show a preponderance of mature and hypermature age classes. 

 Since the type does not allow of the removal of groups of trees at 

 all, and of the removal of individuals only where they are under- 

 laid by an advance growth, the owner of primeval woods adopting 

 this type is forced to bring heavy sacrifices. 



IV. It is very difficult to regenerate light demanders by this 

 type, where they stand mixed with shade bearers. 



Paragraph LVII. Regeneration of valuable species from self-sown 

 seed (n. s. r.) with, amongst and into companions of a 

 weedy character. 



It is a well-known fact that only a few of the hundreds of 

 seedlings raised (artificially or i-aturally) by the forester have a 

 chance to develop into poles, standards and veterans. 



Dense thickets, consisting of many saplings, are merely re- 

 quired to maintain the fertility of the soil and to prevent, by 

 natural pruning, the young boles from growing into brushy and 

 branchy specimens ("orchard trees"). 



For the purpose at stake it is immaterial, in a sense, whether 

 the thickets consist of a " mob " of shrubby weeds mixed with a 

 few " aristocrats " hailing from valuable species, or whether the 

 entire thicket consists of " aristocrats." More than that ; unless 

 the aristocrat has a value already as a sapling or as a small pole, 

 the " mob " frequently is more conducive to proper soil protection 

 and to proper development of the " aristocracy " into large poles 

 and standards than a purely artistocratic crowd. 



The danger, of course, prevails continuously lest the aristo- 

 crats might be overtopped and killed by the mob. 



A. Wherever the mob consists of even-aged seedlings (not of 

 stoolshoots) of shrubs, that danger is small, shrubs usually exhibit- 1 



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