A M E R I C A N S Y L V I C L L T U E E 



A. Primeval forms of seed forests. 



I. Characteristic for all primeval forms is a relative preponder- 

 ance of the hyperniature age-classes (veterans) ; a relative 

 deficiency of the youngest age-classes (seedlings, saplings and poles) ; 

 the presence of a large number of dead, decaying or unsound speci- 

 mens only temporarily excelled in the " culled forms ; " a large 

 number of dead corpses of trees spread flat on the grovuid; irregular 

 confines of the parts compqsing the aggregates; irregular composi- 

 tion of such parts by age-classes and species, many of which may 

 be weeds; usually a heavy layer of humus on tlie ground; usually 

 the presence of a few strikingly lai-ge and spotless trees overtower- 

 ing their neighbors; absolute lack of permanent means of trans- 

 portation. 



II. Subdivision of primeval forms of seed forests. 

 According to the relative share held by sjjecies of " weed trees " 



in the mixture of species composing them, the primeval forests 

 might be subdivided into pauci- multi-, and omnivendible forests. 

 Primeval woods, in which but 10% of the timber species command 

 a value, might be called " paucivendible "; at 50%, the term "multi- 

 vendible " and at approximately 100%, the term " omnivendible " 

 might be applied. 



The vendibility of the members composing the forest, whilst it 

 controls the possibilitj' and the manner of its sylvicultural man- 

 agement, does not influence in the slightest degree the actual orig- 

 inal display of the forest. 



It will be best, consequently, to subjoin the viewpoint of 

 vendibility to the view-point of actual composition of the forest 

 as displayed in the size of its composing parts — notably of its age- 

 classes. 



Thus we arrive at: 



a. A selection form, where the age-classes raised are mixed 

 by trees or small patches — a very uneven-aged form; 



b. A group form, where the age-classes raised are segregated 

 in groups occupying from one-tenth to four acres; 



c. A compartment form, where the age-classes raised are segre- 

 gated in large, coherent areas (coves, slopes) covering from twenty 

 to one hundred aci-es — a very even-aged form of forest. 



The epideta " paucivendible," " multivendible " and " omnivend- 

 ible " added to the terms " selection form," " group form " and 

 " compartment form " readily explain, in crude lines, the sylvi- 

 cultural as well as the economic display of a primeval forest. 



The groups or the compartments often show a sprinkling of 

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