APPENDIX. XXI 



| 



It is thus apparent that an exact knowledge of the silviculture 

 of trees is absolutely essential if success is to be obtained in natural 

 regeneration. Given this knowledge it is perfectly easy to devise 

 a system of management in concordance with the silvicultural 

 peculiarities of the tree and the nature of forest being dealt with. 

 Even treated under different systems of management the funda- 

 mental silvicultural requirements of the species must still dominate 

 the technique of regeneration. The management of chir pine, blue 

 pine, and deodar under the shelterwood compartment system has 

 now been standardised. Work on these lines is being carried out 

 for sal, spruce and silver fir and the regeneration of teak with clear 

 felling is well understood. Much still remains to be learnt, but 

 once systematic attempts are made to regenerate a definite area 

 with some definite species, results will be obtained in due course 

 by any careful forester. 



The correct treatment of the soil and the correct admission of 

 light are both within the competence of the forester, but the third 

 factor moisture can only be influenced by him to a moderate 

 degree. 



It has already been shown that the character of the fellings 

 will influence the moisture conditions of the soil and to this extent 

 the latter factor can be controlled by the forester, but acts of God 

 such as unusual prolonged droughts are beyond his control and 

 the losses they cause must be accepted as inevitable. Similarly no 

 silvicultural technique can do away with the hazard of hail-storma 

 which may ruin delicate seedlings. 



It has been supposed by some that a dense canopy of mother 

 trees prevented seedlings from dying of drought. As a matter of 

 fact the reverse is the case ; deodar seedlings under dense shade 

 have actually died of drought while seedlings growing in the open 

 have continued to flourish. Under heavy shade there is no dew, 

 whereas in the open there is plenty ; a slight fall of rain has no 

 effect on plants growing in the shade whereas those in the open 

 obtain the benefit of every shower. For these reasons all low 



16 



