128 PRACTICAL FOREST MANAGEMENT. 



absent it is due to the direct rays of the sun drying up the soil, 

 and on such aspects there can be no question of the value of some 

 ' side shade and of the light canopy of the mother trees, provided 

 all low-spreading branches have been pruned off, but this side 

 shade must not be allowed to continue too long or harm will 

 result. There should be nothing to keep the rain off the youn^ 

 plants, but a growth of weeds and low shrubs in the regeneration 

 area, provided these are not allowed to swamp the reproduction, 

 appears to be beneficial in collecting the dew and shading the 

 little tree. 



Chir or "The silviculture of the chir is already well iknown. It is a 



(Pviuu greater light-demander than the kail and the success of the silvi- 

 longi- cultural system now adopted has already been proved in practice. 



It is only necessary to say that a bright seeding felling is generally 

 necessary in Kulu, where this species is growing at an average 

 elevation of 5,000 feet ; and that old large crowned trees should 

 be selected as seed-bearers and spaced about 80 to 100 feet apart. 

 For the sake of completeness the following extract from Troup's 

 excellent monograph on this pine 52 is reproduced below : " The 

 chir pine is one of the most light-demanding of species and under 

 favourable conditions the more light admitted the more successful 

 and complete will be the regeneration. It may bo said that in 

 ordinary favourable circumstances 5 to 8 good seed-bearers per 

 acre are ample for effecting complete regeneration ; and that a 

 greater number are not only unnecessary, but may even be detri- 

 mental to the establishment of a healthy young crop. This 

 statement, however, should not be taken to apply universally. Thus 

 on hot slopes where the soil is stiff and the seedlings are liable 

 to suffer from isolation, protective shade is essential and the 

 demand for such protection may outweigh the demand for light. 

 There are instances in the Rawalpindi division, where the slopes 

 are hot and the soil is clayey, of good reproduction establishing 



!! finus longifolia Forest memoir. TROUP- 



