III. THE SELECTION SYSTEM. 77 



For this reason it is to be expected that definite arguments in! 

 favour of and against can be presented. 



"Advantages. 1. Affords a high degree of protection to the- 

 site and to reproduction and minimises the danger of snow-slides. 

 and land-slides. The forest canopy is kept nearly complete, the 

 openings made being small and scattered. No other method affords, 

 such perfect protection against the development of a grass and 

 weed cover. Seedlings receive shelter from sun, wind, and early 

 and late frosts. The continuous cover of trees of all ages presents. 

 a strong mechanical barrier to the progress of land and snow-slides. 

 Such slides rarely, if ever, start in a selection forest. 



2. Can be applied extensively where markets are poor and only 

 trees of large size are merchantable. Poor market conditions 

 hamper the full development of the selection idea,, but do not 

 prevent the partial use of the method, for even with- the poorest 

 markets it is the largest trees that are saleable. 



3. The method best satisfies the aesthetic purpose, due to- 

 its picturesque uneven-aged form, and avoidance of anything 

 approaching clean cutting. 



4. Windfall is eliminated or reduced to a small figure in selec- 

 tion forests. The individual trees have the opportunity to develop 

 large crowns, compared to trees in even-aged stands and become 

 wind-firm. The small trees are well sheltered by the older ones. 



5. Reproduction is relatively easy to secure, due to an abund- 

 ance of seed trees and to the protection afforded to the seed-bed 

 and seedlings. 



6. The selection method is the only one which maintains the 

 uneven-aged form of forest. 



7. There is less danger of disastrous fire than in forests of 

 even-aged stands in which the solid blocks of reproduction create 

 enormous fire hazard. In case fire does occur seed trees are always 

 present to siock up the burned area. 



8. An ideal method for the small farm woodlot, because it 

 permits annual or frequent harvesting, of large timber. Such a. 



