220 Studies in Forestry [CHAP. x. 



Practical Advantages of the Method of Partial 

 Clearance. 



From the practical sylvicultural and the financial points of 

 view such heavy thinnings or partial clearances should not be 

 made until after the crop in question has completed its chief 

 growth in height. 



Along with the other advantages of natural reproduction 

 under parent standards, the rapid increment in timber, as well 

 as in the technical and financial value of the latter, which 

 takes place after partial clearances made for the purpose of 

 regeneration, has drawn considerable attention to this method 

 as a system of treatment of woods, even when their artificial 

 reproduction as in the case of Oak, Maple, Larch may 

 generally be considered more advisable than natural regenera- 

 tion. The favourable returns received from the gradual 

 clearance of parent standards in the case of natural repro- 

 duction of Beech, and of Silver Fir in particular, as well as 

 the financial advantages that accrue ultimately from the partial 

 clearance and underplanting of indifferent crops of Oak, Larch, 

 and Scots Pine when they approach maturity, have to a great 

 extent dispelled the prejudices that existed against the system 

 in the minds of some as being entirely inconsistent with the 

 natural course of things, and have won for it recognition as 

 a method of treatment worthy of adoption wherever circum- 

 stances admit of its practice. There seems little doubt that in 

 the near future it will be carried out to a much greater extent 

 than at present, as it combines most of the advantages of 

 standards over coppice with decided sylvicultural and financial 

 advantages of its own. Thus, for example, by means of this 

 method of partial clearance, the larger and more valuable 

 assortment of stems can be produced in a shorter time, i. e. at 

 a less cost ; whilst, instead of a high forest of normal density 

 composed of nearly mature trees, with an average annual 

 increment long past their point of culmination and gradually 



