THE SEED-FELLING IN THE UNIFORM METHOD. 343 



or wanting in tenacity in struggling with neighbouring plants of 

 inferior species. 



(13) In all old crops, in which the crowns of the trees have 

 ceased to expand, and especially if they have begun to contract. 



(14) In all crops composed mainly of trees with long thin 

 boles and narrow crowns. 



(15) In all cases in which the production of a good crop of 

 seed is uncertain. 



(16) In mixed forest, in all cases in which the seeds of the 

 principal species germinate with difficulty and the number of the 

 resulting seedlings is, therefore, not necessarily in proportion to 

 the abundance of seed produced.. 



(17) In mixed forest, when a bright felling would give an un- 

 desirable predominance to certain species at the expense of the 

 rest. 



(18) Where forest fires are to be feared. 



B. On the other hand, a bright felling can be made only 

 provided not a single one of the preceding eighteen conditions 

 exists. There are, however, four exceptions to tins rule, in each 

 of which the seed-felling must be bright 



(1) When the seedlings to be produced can survive only under 

 the influence of more or less direct sunlight. 



(2) In places inclined to be swampy. 



(3) In a crop composed of trees with very low crowns. 



(4) In mixed forest when a fairly abundant advance growth of 

 some of the component species is already on the ground. 



A dark seed-coupe may be defined as one in which the neigh- 

 bouring trees at least touch one another when agitated by a slight 

 breeze ; and the darkest coupe would be one in which the crowns 

 touched each other without being swayed by the wind. The 

 brightest coupe (perfectly theoretical for India, it must be ad- 

 mitted) would be one in which no more trees were preserved than 

 would just suffice to sow the ground to the desired extent, the 

 seedlings being able to do without nurses and the soil requiring no 

 protection. 



In a mixed forest composed of species possessing very different 

 requirements, the severity of the seed- felling at any particular point 

 will be specially suited for the species whose reproduction is actual- 

 ly required there. And it is hence possible for one and the same 

 coupe to be dark at certain points and bright elsewhere. 



