IN THE BEECH WOODS 145 



shoots of beech and other trees should be cut out, 

 as well as suckers of aspen and self-sown birch. 

 During the early thinnings the softwoods then 

 found should be removed along with the sup- 

 pressed poles among the main crop. The 

 thinnings should be moderate, but repeated at 

 intervals of about four or five years ; and as the 

 crop advances in age, the use of the axe should 

 be somewhat anticipatory, to assist nature in 

 determining the selection of the dominant and 

 predominating stems. This is more particularly 

 the case on poor, dry patches of soil, where the 

 struggle for existence is longer and less decisive 

 than on more favourable situations. 



The result of such regeneration is that, when 

 total clearance of the old trees has been effected, 

 the young crop of beech is scattered over the 

 area in larger or smaller patches of different 

 height, and differing also somewhat in age. It 

 is, therefore, usually not until about its tenth 

 year that the young crop closes up and forms 

 canopy. The further growth is then rapid, dense 

 thicket being formed, much thicker than results 

 from the treatment hitherto practised in England. 

 Throughout this early stage of development the 



