THE SELECTION SYSTEM. 243 



iv. Generally. 

 It is clear that in many woods the most suitable moment for 

 regeneration does not occur at one and the same time over 

 the whole area, thus offering sufficient room for a suitable 

 selection of groups in which the process of regeneration 

 should commence. 



h. Pnircss oj Reijai^eration. 



This is, in principle, the same as that described under the 

 compartment system ; there are preparatory, seeding and final 

 cuttings, but they are not always quite distinct, and frequently 

 the preparatory or seeding cutting, or both, are unnecessary. 

 Over advance growth, for instance, the two first stages are 

 already past, and the final stage alone remains. 



Frequently a seeding catting or a final clearing in one 

 group admits sufficient light into an adjoining one to act 

 as a preparatory cutting for it. 



Where the cover overhead is still complete and no advance 

 growth has made its appearance, regular preparatory cuttings 

 are made in selected spots, followed by a seeding cutting, so 

 as to create groups of new growth which form the centres of 

 subsequent operations. 



In practice, the group system is frequently combined with 

 the strip system. Instead of selecting groups all over the 

 area of a wood, or compartment, only a strip is, in the first 

 instance, taken in band, followed, some years afterwards, by the 

 selection of groups in a further strip ; and so on, until the 

 operations have been extended over the whole compartment, 

 or wood. 



I. Tke Selection System of Natural Begeiieration. ander 

 Shelter -icoods. 



Theoretically, regeneration goes on in all parts of the 

 forest by the removal of the oldest, largest, diseased or defec- 

 tive trees, wherever they are found. No part of the forest is 



K 2 



