SEASON FOR FELLIXG. 221 



wounds are tarred, autumn and early winter are the best seasons, 

 but in the case of resinous conifers, pruning may be done at any 

 season. 



[Where tarring is not effected, February is the best month for 

 pruning, — Tr.] 



Regeneration-fellings among broad-leaved trees, and especially 

 secondary fellings on steep slopes, are best effected over a deep 

 layer of snow, in order to protect the young growth from damage 

 during the removal of the timber. During summer, when 

 vegetation is in full activity and tender shoots are so easily 

 injured, broad-leaved forests should be left alone ; and the same 

 rule should also be applied to coniferous woods with natural re- 

 generation, unless the winter is too severe for fellings ; but, even 

 then, the period between the sprouting of the young shoots and 

 their full development should be one of repose. 



For coppice, late winter is the best felling season, for if the 

 wood is felled early in the winter, it frequently happens that the 

 stools are killed by the severe cold. Whenever, for certain 

 reasons, autumn or ^^•inter fellings are necessary, the stools 

 should be cut as deep as possible in the ground. Cutting coppice 

 during the period of vegetation gives rise to weakly coppice- 

 shoots. 



Wherever stumps are to be extracted, this is generally done 

 during summer, and naturally cannot be done at all when the 

 ground is frozen. 



4. Quality of Outturn. 



As regards the influence of the season of felling on the quality 

 of the outturn, the question has already been discussed (p. 82), 

 and it has been determined that for firewood the season has 

 hardly any influence, provided the wood be thoroughly dried, but 

 that the qualities of timber are greatly influenced by the season 

 of felling and the subsequent treatment of the felled material. 



As a rule, broad-leaved trees should be felled only in winter, 

 and the same rule is desirable for coniferous wood, unless it can 

 be removed from the felling-area and sawn-up immediately after 

 it has been felled ; winter-felling is also best in the case of old 

 and imperfectly sound trees. 



