PASTURE. 523 



described are not commensurate. As with grass and herbage, so 

 also with aspens and sallows, which may often be kept down by 

 grazing. 



Frequently, danger from mice follows from a dense growth of 

 grass, especially in felling-areas near fields. Under and between 

 the dry procumbent tufts of grass the mice find sheltered winter 

 quarters, where they collect in swarms, especially under deep 

 snow, and cause great damage to young beech and other plants 

 by gnawing their bark. 



It has been observed in many places, that in scantily-stocked 

 old woods with consolidated soil, where cattle have pastured, 

 natural regeneration is more easily obtained than in others closed 

 to grazing, provided the cattle are removed when the seed germi- 

 nates. This is due to the wounding of the soil, caused by the 

 tread of the cattle, especially on somewhat sloping ground. 



(b) Disadvantages of Forest Pasture. 

 The realisation of the above-mentioned advantages from forest 

 pasture is always more or less attended with danger to the forest. 

 Before deciding on the admissibility of pasture to a forest, one 

 must be acquainted with the means of meeting these dangers, 

 and the sylvicultural rules to be enforced to keep the grazing 

 within proper limits. The damage which cattle effect in a forest 

 is chiefly due to impoverishing the soil, browsing on the forest 

 jilants, and trampling on their roots and on the soil. Besides 

 the injury due to hardening of the soil, the dung which collects 

 at the resting places and night-resorts of the cattle, is said to 

 cause red-rot or other diseases ; but as a rule these consequences 

 are inconsiderable or doubtful [whilst the dung may frequently 

 be sold. — Tr.]. 



i. Impoverishment of tlie Soil. 

 Every usage which removes forest produce must consequently 

 reduce the fertility of the soil ; it is incontestable that 

 pasture removes, in the fodder consumed, large quantities of 

 nutritive mineral matter from the forest and reduces the 

 organic matter necessary for the formation of humus. It is 

 dilficult to say to what extent this deprivation of nutriment is 

 replaced by the dung of the cattle. 



