APPENDIX III (1). 



NATURAL REGENERATION. 



" Instead of the thorn ahull come up the fir tree. 

 Insttad of the briar shall come up the myrtle tree. " 



In an earlier essay it has been shown that the foundation of 

 all good forestry lies in the intense study of nature, dominated by 

 a love of trees and a desire for knowledge. Approached in any 

 other way silviculture becomes a tedious task to be delegated as 

 far as possible to ignorant subordinates, with the usual deplorable 

 results. Without an inborn appreciation of the growth of trees 

 no one can become a master of this art. Without a master's 

 skill no system of management can reach perfection. In the 

 processes of natural regeneration the art of silviculture reaches its 

 zenith. Every tree differs in its requirements, every aspect and 

 species requires different treatment. Here a group of advance 

 growth is retained and freed to form part of the future crop, there 



existing saplings are cut away as undesirable. 



Three factors govern the successful regeneration of a forest 



crop : 



(1) Soil. 



(2) Light. 



(3) Moisture. 



All these factors are inter-dependent, they must exist in 

 suitable harmony one with the other and when these conditions 

 are fulfilled natural regeneration follows as a matter of course. 



The art of the forester in this branch of his work consists in 

 developing his practice so as to bring about this happy state of 

 affairs as far as possible by the usual processes of nature. 



