INTERMEDIATE CUTTINGS 85 



intermediate. As a general rule dominant and the better co- 

 dominant trees are favored in thinnings, while the other three 

 classes are cut out. Just what is taken out depends mainly on 

 the heaviness of the thinning, which may range from an extremely 

 light cutting to one as heavy as a reproduction cutting. The 



Fig. 32. A stand of beech and oak in Europe, 40 to 50 years of age. A light thinning 

 has just been finished. 



following four classes of thinnings are recognized, depending on 

 the heaviness of the cutting: 



Grade A. Light thinning; removing dead and dying trees. 



Grade B. Moderate thinning; removing dead, overtopped, 

 and the poorer intermediate trees. 



Grade C. Heavy thinning, removing dead, overtopped, inter- 

 mediate, and a few codominant trees. 



Grade D. Very heavy thinning, removing dead, overtopped, 

 intermediate, and codominant trees. 



Which grade to use depends mainly on the purpose for which 



