I 00 SEASON FOR FELLING. 



or black spots appearing upon it, always lead to a suspicion of change- 

 in thf- wood. 



6. When the sap is observed to flow from crevices in the bark, 

 the death of the tree is at hand. 



In I'Vance, the cutting down of the smaller wood, such as is used 

 for firing, takes place at from twenty to thirty years ; in the forests, 

 the trees are commonly felled at from one hundred to one hundred 

 and thirty years old, and a few trees are generally left as reserves, 

 and for special purposes, till they have attained the age of from two 

 hundred to two hundred and fifty years. 



The prevalent opinion among foresters, with regard to the proper 

 season for felling, is, that it should be done when the sap is in the 

 state of greatest repose, or when it is j)rcsent in least quantity in the 

 trees. The season fixed by the old law of France (16(J9) was from 

 October to March inclusive. But the experiments of Duhamel tend 

 to show that this is not actually the season when trees contain the 

 smallest proportion of sap, and that fellings made at other times of 

 the year have had very satisfactory results. All things well weighed, 

 says the illustrious cultivator, our only safe guide in sufh matters is 

 observation ; and from numerous experiments he concluded that 

 there was actually as much sap in trees in w inter as in summer, and 

 that the spring and summer were the seasons most favorable for the 

 speedy drying of the timber. Trees felled in summer were even 

 found by Duhamel to yield timber which stood better and lasted 

 longer than those that were cut down in winter; while he found the 

 wood of etjual slreiifjth in cither case, lie concluded, therefore, 

 that the season of the year at which timber was felled, had no in- 

 fluence upon its qiiality or durability.* 



There is, in fact, no general rule observed in dilTerrnt countries 

 as to the period at which timber is felled. The French still go on 

 cutting from October to March ; the I'Jnglish fell in the winter. 

 Convenience of dilTerent descriptions appears often to decide the 

 question as to season. In order to procure bark for the tanneries, 

 an act was passed by the Entzlish rarliament in 1003, prohibiting 

 all felling of oak timber during the dead season, the penalty for in- 

 fringement of the act being confiscation of the timber felled, or fine 

 to the amount of twice its value. An exception, however, was still 

 made in regard to limber destined for the public service in ship- 

 building, &c. The price of bark afterwards rose to such a height, 

 that it was Ibund most profitable to cut in the spring ; and the prac- 

 tice then became so general, that it by and by became necessary to 

 offer premiums to induce proprietors of oak forests to fell timber in 

 the winter season, for the sake of the British navy. The inhabitants 

 of the county of Statford appear at a somewhat early period to have 

 sought to combine the advantages of the Ijark trade, with a fulfil- 

 ment of the conditions that entitled them to the premium on winter- 

 felled timber : they stripped the trees of their bark in the spring, 

 and felled them the following winter. Ami Bulfon and Duhamel 



• Duhanifl, op. cit . t. i p. 400. 



