184 NATURAL REGENERATION 



It consists in the removal of all the trees except a few, which 

 are left as mother trees, to seed the whole area ; and also, to 

 form a light canopy or shelter wood for the young crop. 



In the case of those trees which bear an abundant crop of 

 seed very frequently, there is no need to wait for a seed 

 year ; but different areas may be felled annually, and thus 

 worked so as to produce an equal yearly income. 



Scots Pine, Ash, Norway Maple, Sycamore, Douglas Fir, 

 and Spruce bear abundant crops of seed every 2 or 3 years, 

 and Oak every 3 to 5 years. 



But Beech produce good crops of seed very spasmodically, 

 from every 5 to 12 years, and in their case it is always 

 necessary to wait for a good seed year ; thus making it 

 impossible to obtain an equal yearly income from any area 

 under Beech only, though preparatory fellings and gradual 

 clearances of mother trees tend to minimise this defect. 



The age at which trees produce seed is a matter of very 

 great importance. The best seed is generally produced 

 about 10 to 20 years after the trees have completed their 

 principal height growth. Seed from very young trees 

 should not generally be used, and seed from very old trees 

 that have long passed maturity should never be countenanced. 

 Oak, Beech, and Silver Fir produce good seed from the 

 6oth year onwards. 



Most other trees bear seed very much earlier, say from 

 the 1 5th to 3Oth year, and often very much earlier, when the 

 conditions under which they may be placed are inimical to 

 their proper growth and development, or when they enjoy a 

 maximum amount of light and air, as when situated on the 

 edges of rides, etc. 



When making a felling, great care should be taken that the 

 seed trees should be distributed evenly over the whole area. 



(3) Gradual Clearance of the Mother Trees. The dates 

 at which the shelter wood of mother trees should be removed, 

 will depend on the requirements of the young crop, and 

 upon the soil, locality, aspect, altitude, and the rate of growth 

 of the young crop, and many other considerations. 



The gradual clearance will usually begin in the 2nd or 



