THE "SEED" FELLING 183 



maturity, so as to induce the production of seed, to accustom 

 the trees to isolation, and to form a good seed-bed. 



It will, however, often be found that the woods have 

 already been sufficiently thinned, and that the humus has 

 already disappeared, and the ground is covered with a growth 

 of rank grass and weeds. 



In such a case, if natural regeneration be attempted, the 

 grass must be broken up, and the seed-bed prepared, and the 

 seed felling made immediately, or, in the case of Beech, 

 when a good seed year comes. It is quite impossible to 

 obtain a good regeneration while the land is covered with a 

 mat of grass ; so also is it impossible on very " hard " land, 

 even though clean. 



It is an excellent plan to turn pigs on to any area that is 

 thus covered with grass, but their snouts should not be 

 ringed ; for then they will root up the grass, and prepare an 

 excellent seed-bed. If pigs cannot be procured, a forest 

 plough must be used. 



It should be remembered that humus will disappear more 

 quickly on southern aspects than on northern aspects, 

 other conditions being similar. It will also decay quicker 

 on soils containing lime than on other soils. Heat and 

 moisture combined favour its decomposition, whilst exces- 

 sive wet in the soil retards it. On exposed places, it will 

 often be a good plan to dig or plough small surface trenches 

 in order to catch the leaves and prevent them from being 

 blown away. These surface trenches or ditches should be 

 in short parallel lengths, and each series should alternate 

 with a series crossing at right angles : 



It must be remembered that the land always becomes hard 

 unless the surface soil has a layer of decomposing leaves in it. 

 (2) A Seed Felling or Regeneration Felling is made 

 when a good seed year has come. As its name implies, it 

 is the felling made for the actual regeneration of the area. 



