Administrative Features. 199 



ing and planting system which had found favor during 

 the middle of last century. 



In corporation forests, large areas are still under 

 coppice with standards, but will probably soon be con- 

 verted into timber forest, a policy favored by cantonal 

 instructions. Pure coppice is only rarely met, usually 

 confined to the overflow lands and small private 

 holdings. In some of the public forests in the French 

 territory it is practised with a "double rotation" 

 (furetage) according to French pattern. 



Artificial means to secure complete stands in natural 

 regenerations is favored by the cantonal regulations, 

 but thinning operations are still mostly neglected, 

 except where local market for inferior material makes 

 them advisable, which is mostly in the plains country, 

 where the annual yield from thinnings may represent 

 30% of the total harvest yield. 



Conversion from coppice and coppice with standards 

 into timber forest, and change from clearing systems 

 to natural regeneration (proper for mountain forest), 

 and from pure to mixed forest have become general 

 provisions of the working plans. 



The average cut in the State forests during four 

 years prior to 1893 was over 64 cub. ft. p. acre, and 

 42 cub. ft. for the corporation forests; an average for 

 all the public forests of round 45 cub. ft., not a very 

 good showing as yet. So far, the collection of material 

 for yield tables and for a statement of increment and 

 stock on hand in the country at large are still insuffi- 

 cient, although, in 1882, Prof. Landolt estimated the 

 annual product at little less than 500 million cubic 

 feet, or 50 cubic feet per acre. 



