27:3 



TENDING OF WOODS 



When a wood has been established it will, if left undis- 

 turbed by outside influences, grow on and reach maturity ; the 

 individual trees will, however, enter upon a lively struggle for 

 existence, and the ultimate results, in the majority of cases, 

 will meet only to a limited extent the objects for which the 

 wood has been established. Moreover, external injurious 

 effects will make themselves felt, and further reduce the 

 returns. In order to realise those objects more fully, especi- 

 ally where a certain class of timber is desired, the growing 

 wood requires well-directed tending from its formation up to 

 the time when it is finally cut over. Care must be taken that 

 the most favourable conditions for growth are secured, and 

 that the development of the individual trees is so guided as to 

 produce the desired results ; in other words, the forester must 

 take measures to preserve the continued activity of the 

 locality, and to see that the wood has throughout its life a 

 suitable composition. The subject divides itself natural 

 into the following two sections : — 



(1.) Preservation of the factors of the soil. 

 (2.) Tending the crop of growing wood. 



It is not, however, intended to enter here in detail upon all 

 the matters which contribute to, or interfere with, the desired 

 result. The effects of the locality upon forest vegetation, and 

 vice versa, have been dealt with in Part I. of this volume, 

 while the protection of the soil and growing wood against 

 injurious influences will be dealt with in a subsequent volume 

 on Forest Protection. In this place only the important points 

 will be shortly indicated, with special reference to the sylvi- 

 cultural aspect of the subject. 



In order that a crop may be fully productive, it is necessary 



