THE NETWORK OF RIDES. 387 



information can be obtained from local people, who have lived 

 for some time in the locality. 



The laying out of the sj^stem of rides is of great import- 

 ance, because it is used in the protection of the woods against 

 natural phenomena, and it leads to order in the management. 

 These advantages outweigh the loss of productive area, which 

 is, after all, very limited. Eegular networks of rides, with 

 right angles, are practicable only in the plains ; on hilly 

 ground they must accommodate themselves to the configura- 

 tion of the ground. The example on the preceding page 

 will illustrate this. The forest occupies a ridge, the slope 

 of which is indicated b}^ dotted contour lines - - - - . 

 The top of the ridge, being much exposed, must be 

 treated as a separate working section under the selection 

 system ; it is separated from the rest by a major ride 



f^\ The slopes are treated under the compartment 



system, and they are divided into two parts by the major 



ride 



s rr^ (y^ and (^. The numbers M^ ^2^ 



. . . indicate the minor rides, and 1, 2, 8 . . . the 

 compartments. The prevailing wind blows from the west. 



The division would probably be somewhat on the following 

 lines : — 



WorMiKj Section I. = Compartment Si/stem. 

 Cutting Series A comprises compartments 1 i.l' 2 



„ D „ „ 5 & 6 



Working Section II. = Selection Si/stem. 

 Comprises compartments 7, 8, and 9. 

 The cutting direction would be from east to west, a direction 

 which is indicated by the numbering of the compartments. 



