278 FEATURES OF FRENCH NATIONAL FOREST ADMINISTRATION 



to young stands. Often the undergrowth may be required to preserve 

 forest conditions and the removal of the soil itself sometimes means 

 uncovering the roots and later results in local erosion. To sum up: As 

 a result of experience in France regarding the removal of minor products 

 the concensus of opinion is that it often results in damage to the forest 

 and should be restricted 18 so far as practicable. 



Excessive Pruning. The removal of "epicormic" branches from the 

 boles of standards (in coppice-under-standards) is often practiced, but 

 French foresters agree that it is rarely advisable to remove branches 

 over 0.4 of an inch in diameter. 19 If practiced at all it should be done 

 in the middle of the summer or in the autumn. Ordinary pruning of 

 green branches to improve the appearance of the bole is generally for- 

 bidden. When pruning must be done the wounds should preferably be 

 covered with pitch, except in the case of maritime pine or trees which 

 heal cuts by resin flow. Sometimes the removal of branches from trees 

 soon to be cut is advisable in order to increase seed bearing. Conifers 

 generally should not be pruned, and even dead branches should not be 

 removed from light-demanding trees since the wind will break them off 

 at the proper time. Dead branches on shade-enduring trees are a sign 

 of bad health. 



Damage by Birds. Owls and other mice-eating birds are encour- 

 aged since they destroy rodents; but sparrows and other birds which 

 destroy immense quantities of seed must be combated. Poisoned 

 seed and shooting are the usual combative methods. While it is 

 recognized that all birds destroy insects and should consequently be 

 encouraged, yet French foresters have found in practice that they 

 do not destroy insects in sufficient numbers to actually prevent insect 

 infestations. 



Insect Damage. It is proverbial that coniferous trees suffer more 

 from insects than do broadleaves and a pure conifer stand is most liable 

 to damage. It is often necessary to fell or burn whole forests when once 

 an insect attack gains headway. 



The methods of insect control in France are to first secure the life 

 history of the insect doing the damage and then to be on the lookout 

 for local damage and to at once fell and burn trees attacked so as to 



18 There is always a balance between the forest and the local climate which must not be 

 disturbed. The writer recalls the disastrous results following the drainage of a stagnant 

 lake or marsh near the top of a mountain in the Black Forest (Baden). After the 

 drainage was carried out (a work which aimed at the improvement of the forest) a great 

 many fir trees on the slopes below suffered severely from lack of moisture which they 

 had evidently secured by seepage. 



19 An exception is where the lower branches in the crowns of standards are removed 

 up to a diameter of 2 to 3 inches. 



