180 NATURAL REGENERATION 



Whenever an area is being dealt with under this system, 

 it is advisable, if possible, to obtain from that area an equal 

 yearly income ; as indeed is the case under all systems of 

 forest management. 



Thus, supposing there be an area of 432 acres treated on 

 the group system with a rotation for the timber of 72 years, 

 and that an interval of 9 years between neighbouring groups 

 is desirable, it could be treated in the following way : 



The whole area may be divided into 18 compartments of 

 24 acres each, and the area may be considered as comprising 

 two woods or blocks of 9 compartments each, one of which 

 blocks, that to the leeward of the prevailing winds, should be 

 regenerated in the first 36 years, and the other block in the 

 next 36 years. 



Now, as regards this block of 216 acres, one method 

 would be to take 54 groups of I acre each, at intervals 

 throughout the whole block, and regenerate them in the first 

 year ; then 9 years hence to make 54 fresh fellings by 

 enlarging these groups ; then 9 years hence, and again 9 

 years after that, to repeat the operation, when the whole 

 block will have been regenerated within the 36 years. 



But such a method would give an intermittent income 

 from the area managed under this system. 



It would be far preferable to enter a different compart- 

 ment each year for 9 years, and then to return to the original 

 compartment. And this would insure an equal annual 

 income from the whole area, and little difficulties arising 

 over the rearing of game might be avoided, as only I 

 compartment out of the 9 would be disturbed in any one 

 year. 



Thus in the first year, 6 groups of i acre 1 each (or 12 

 groups of J acre each) may be felled in Compartment No. I. ; 

 in the 2nd year, 6 groups (or 12) in Compartment 

 No. II.; and so on, until in the loth year, Compartment 

 No. I, will again be entered, and the original groups enlarged 

 by making fresh fellings. This scheme is continued until by 

 the 36th year the whole 9 compartments have been 

 1 One acre groups will in many cases be too large. 



