612 FOIIKST LITTKR. 



litter, in acconlancf with these factors, the longer the close-tinir 

 shoiihl be. 



The eft'ects of removing Htter dirter also considerably, 

 according as only the upper stratum of litter, produced during 

 the current year and still undecomposed, is removed ; or the 

 lower strata of humus and mineral earth arc raked up as well. 

 The lower the rake goes, the deeper it penetrates the mineral 

 soil and the more pernicious the practice. 



If deep raking of the litter is frequently repeated, the soil 

 dries up ; when the soil is stiff, it becomes so compact and hard 

 that, if the next year's supply of dead leaves is not blown away, 

 it requires a long time to decompose and mingle with the soil. 

 The forester should therefore permit the harvesting of only the 

 upper layers of undecomposed dead leaves, and, in the case of a 

 mossy soil-covering, should allow its removal only in strips or 

 patches. 



(9) Season for Removal of Litter. 



The removal of litter is most prejudicial during spring and 

 summer ; less so, in autumn, before the leaves fall ; and, least of 

 all, during the fall of the leaves. 



In summer the soil requires most protection against evapora- 

 tion of moisture, removal of litter during the hotter months is 

 therefore very prejudicial ; but if the soil-covering is removed 

 in spring the soil will remain exposed throughout the summer, 

 so that the harm done is then as great as in the former case. 

 If, however, the harvesting is done just before leaf-fall, litter 

 which has been lying decomposing on the ground for a whole 

 year is removed, and, in order to obtain it in any considerable 

 quantity, it is necessary to rake deep into the ground. It is. 

 therefore, evidently best to remove litter in autumn during the 

 actual fall of the leaves. Then it is quite possible to leave part 

 of the decomposing litter and of the fresh supply of dead leaves 

 on the ground. 



(0 Statistirx. 



All the above remarks regarding the effects of the removal of 

 litter result from the multifarious and prolonged experience of 

 foresters. They are also supported by observations made in 



