MODES OF HARVESTING. 603 



Fichtelgebirge and some parts of the Schwarzwald, on the 

 contrary, every peasant farmer has obtamed yearly, from time 

 immemorial, 1 to li waggon-loads of branch-litter from his 

 selection-woods, without any fear of reducing the crop. [Much 

 branch-litter is used in the Himalaya districts, — Tk.] 



The same age of woods Avhich yields the greatest amount of 

 ground-litter also produces most branch-litter ; in dense even- 

 aged spruce woods, from poles about 50 to 60 years old ; in 

 selection-forest, at an age approaching maturity. At the same 

 time it should be noted that in utilizing branches in old woods, 

 the ratio by weight of twigs utilizable to that of the woody 

 branches useless for the purpose in question is as 1 to 3, in 

 pole-woods 3 to 1, and in veiy young woods is even more 

 favourable as regards stable-litter. 



Section IV. — Modes of Harvesting Litter. 



The dififerent ways in which litter is harvested are all 

 extremely simple, but differ according to the kind of litter in 

 question. 



1. Litter from Dead Leaves and Needles. 



In collecting litter composed almost exclusively of dead leaves 

 or needles, with only a few weeds and a scanty admixture of 

 moss, wooden rakes are always used. 



Iron rakes are quite inadmissible, as they not only damage 

 the superficial roots of trees, but also penetrate the layer of 

 humus, and which they partly remove, as well as litter. Thin 

 layers of moss are also easily removed by wooden rakes. The 

 heaps of dead leaves and needles are packed in cloths or nets for 

 removal either to the farms or to a forest depot, where the litter 

 is measured for sale, or carts are laden with it on the spot. 



On smooth ground it is easy to rake up every leaf, but 

 when the surface is uneven, interrupted by holes, hummocks, 

 stones, rocks and roots, or overgrown with shrubs, bushes, 

 grass or weeds, or finally, in places where swine have been root- 

 ing — raking is a difficult process. A considerable amount of 

 litter which cannot be raked up is then preserved to the forest, 

 and thus an indication aflbrded how the forests may be protected 

 by artificial means against a too complete removal of litter. 



