SYLVICULTUEE. 



tility of the soil by thorough shading, by the formation of a 

 mixed humus and by increased leaf-tall. It improves the bole- 

 quality of the upper growth, the crowns of the lower growth 

 holding the boles of the upper in close embrace. In addition, it 

 prevents any part of the timber-producing factors of the locality 

 (atmosphere, light, moisture, soil) from lying unutilized. Usually 

 the undergrowth produces firewood, the upper growth timber. 



The so-called " Seebach's modified high forest " has Beech in 

 the upper as well as in the lower story. The lower story is 

 obtained from self-sown seed of the upper story after very heavy 

 thinning. Under and tipper growth are finally utilized in the same 

 year or in the same period of years. 



III. Treatment of cultured high forest. 



Regeneration in the cultured form of high forest takes place 

 in any of the types of n. s. r., or by planting seeds and seedlings. 

 As a rule, natural regeneration is now combined with partial plant- 

 ing. Cleaning and thinning are usually idicated, whilst, as stated, 

 weeding and improvement cutting are not required. 

 Paragraph LXVI. Critical remarks on the forms of high forest. 



A. Attitude of the investor: 



It is almost amusing to observe the difference of attitudes 

 which the statesman, the lumberman and the forester show with 

 respect to the terms "primeval," "culled" and "cultured" forests. 



Still, all of these forests are justifiable, at least temporarily, 

 and usually justified by the economic conditions evolving them. 



I. The primeval forest seems to be the " forest in economic 

 stagnation." Still, fortunes have been carved by many investors, 

 buying and retaining primeval forests for their own benefit and 

 incidentally for the benefit of later generations of men. With every 

 parcel of primeval forest destroyed, the value of the balance left 

 increases in estimation and in actual usefulness. 



Sylviculturally, no forest requires a more minute and more 

 painstaking treatment than the primeval forest, when its conversion 

 into cultured forest is at stake. Still, the small price obtainable 

 for its products defies any attempt at a remunerative outcome 

 of heavy sylvicultural outlays. What is the use of safeguarding 

 or producing a second growth, by sylvicultural acts, which is devoid 

 of any prospective value, or which is of a value inferior to the 

 expense required to safeguard it or to produce it? 



Thus, Sylviculturally as well as financially it seems very fre- 

 quently best to leave the primeval wood unattended, unregenerated, 

 unconverted, for the time being. 



143 



