74 NATURAL REGENERATION 



crowns may vary. A so-called "dark" felling, according to Bagneris, is 

 when the lateral branches of the crowns of the reserved trees touch when 

 the wind is blowing. In an "open" or "light" felling the space between 

 the crowns may be 7 to 16 or 20 feet. A "dark" felling has this advan- 

 tage, in that the seed trees are more numerous, the acorns are better 

 scattered over the entire surface of the felling area, and the seedlings are 

 better protected against the late frosts. The trees chosen for seed trees 

 must be sound and must have well developed crowns. (2) All trees, 

 other than seed trees, whose foliage extends to the ground and is therefore 

 suppressing seedlings, are removed. Beech, or hornbeam, which often 

 forms a valuable understory in order to preserve soil conditions up to the 

 time of the seed felling, is cut. (3) If the soil is covered with weeds they 

 are cut level with the ground, as are also oak advance growth unsuit- 

 able for future regeneration. The soil, after a seed felling, must be 

 cleared of all low growth. If necessary, the surface of the soil is loos- 

 ened by wounding it. A successful seed felling is where there are one 

 or two seedlings per square yard. Often there is practically a carpet of 

 young oak. 



Secondary Fellings. The next step is to gradually remove the seed 

 trees and to gradually free the existing seedlings without causing too 

 much damage. These secondary fellings in oak stands are usually two 

 or three in number. Care should be taken not to expose the existing 

 seedlings to late frosts, not to damage too many seedlings in the lumber- 

 ing operations, and to retain enough seed trees in localities where seed- 

 lings have failed. It is also essential not to remove the seed trees so 

 rapidly that the ground may run wild to weeds. The best time to mark 

 secondary fellings is during the summer, since the state of the vegetation 

 can be more accurately determined. The removal depends primarily on 

 the condition of the ground. If the seed crop is poor it may be necessary 

 to again cut back the weeds and to wound the soil. If, on the other hand, 

 the seedling growth is very luxuriant, cutting can be much heavier. The 

 result of the secondary felling is to increase the growth and development 

 of the seedling crop and to enable it to maintain possession of the ground. 



Final Felling. As soon as the young crop is complete and the first 

 seedlings have developed into saplings, it is time for the final felling, which 

 is really a final secondary felling and which is generally termed final fell- 

 ing. This felling merely removes the remainder of the seed trees at one 

 stroke, since it is rarely advisable to hold over a few seed trees even where 

 regeneration may be lacking in a few spots. When seed trees are held 

 over it means that very valuable timber decreases in value, since as soon 

 as these mature oaks are isolated, epicormic [92] branches develop, the 

 crown deteriorates, large branches die, and there is great danger of rot 

 or damage from insects. The regular high forest (shelter wood) aims at 



