528 FOREST- FODDER. 



US to the possibility of admitting cattle into young natural 

 regeneration-areas. In some districts tliis is considered not 

 only allowable, but even advisable ; whilst in others there is no 

 privilege to which the forester is more opposed than pasture in 

 felling-areas. Grazing is therefore admissible only when the 

 herbage is so dense as to threaten the very existence of the 

 woody growth. If in such cases a small herd of cattle, or even 

 a small flock of sheep, is admitted in dry weather, and when the 

 grass is still tender and nourishing (usually before Midsummer- 

 day, or, in the Alps, during July) ; if the cattle are not half- 

 starved, and not accustomed from their youth to forest pasture ; 

 if they are driven gently and not every day in the same direction, 

 and are kept under strict control by the herdsmen ; if they are 

 withdrawn from the wood as soon as they have satisfied their 

 hunger, and not allowed to lie-down — then, in most cases, on the 

 grounds of both general and sylvicultural utility, the damage 

 done will be slight in comparison to the advantage gained. It 

 cannot be denied that in the most favourable cases hundreds of 

 woody plants will be nibbled or trampled-down ; and that in 

 beech-woods, with a few disseminated ash, sycamore, oak, and 

 other saplings, these plants and especially the oak will suffer : but 

 if too many plants are not thus sacrificed (when one considers 

 that most of those injured will recover, and also how many forests 

 which have been open to pasture, especially extensive tracts of 

 Alpine beech and spruce-woods, and yet have grown into splendid 

 woods), the conviction cannot be resisted, that pasture need not 

 be entirely excluded from felling-areas when they are richly 

 stocked with grass. It appears obvious that grazing cannot be 

 allowed in artificially planted or sown areas, where the number 

 of plants is necessarily reduced to a minimum ; yet cases have 

 occurred in Eussia (Poretsche), where grazing has proved 

 beneficial to plantations with a dense growth of grass. 



iii. IhiiiKKjc 1)1/ Tra)i(i>liii'j. 



It is evident that young plants must be damaged when 

 trampled by the hoofs of heavy cattle ; colts and fillies are most 

 hurtful in this respect ; sheep also, owing to their sharp hoofs 

 and short stride, in si)ite of their comparatively light weight, 

 may do much damage. Besides trampling-down young plants 



