GROUP SYSTEM 181 



regenerated, after which the other block will be treated in the 

 same way. 



This method, however, of cutting groups somewhere in 

 the wood every year, could not be adopted in the case of 

 Beech, as it would be necessary to wait for the seed years, 

 otherwise the vacant patches would become covered with a 

 rank growth of weeds if a seed year were long delayed. 

 This might, however, be avoided by artificial means, or 

 possibly by making the groups very small, when practically 

 the selection system would be adopted. 



The whole essence of the group system is that the 

 cleared areas are small, and that the feelings of neighbouring 

 groups are always intermittent. The great advantage of 

 having small groups is that the young crop gets a very great 

 amount of protection from the older trees, and in the case of 

 conifers the danger of ravages from the Pine weevil 

 (Hylobius abietis) is greatly lessened by having these 

 intermittent fellings and small areas, and a good seeding is 

 assured. 



In as much as rides or roads do not lead through all the 

 groups such a thing would be impossible it is necessary 

 that a long interval should elapse between the regeneration 

 of outside groups and the time when the centre groups are 

 again felled, for this will enable the timber from the centre 

 groups to be drawn out through a crop which is at least 35 

 or 40 years old, and thus excessive damage is avoided. 



In cases where the groups are very large, some mother 

 trees should be left overhead as a shelter wood ; but these 

 very large groups must, to all intents and purposes, be 

 considered as small irregular shaped compartments. 



The timber grown under the group system should be of 

 higher technical value than that grown under the selection 

 system, as there will be a smaller proportion of unpruned 

 trees. 



This group system must not be confounded with the 

 method of mixing trees by patches or groups, as is practised 

 when planting mixtures in even-aged high forest. 



