THE METHOD OF CLEARED LINE8. 375 



exposed situation near the ridge will nearly always render any 

 other mode of natural regeneration impossible. 



On level ground the produce of the coupe should, as far as 

 possible, he taken out by the cleared line itself, in order that the 

 traffic may loosen the soil, break and crush down injurious weeds, 

 comminute and force into the mineral soil the top layer, if there is 

 any, of nndecomposed vegetable debris, and press fallen seeds into 

 the ground. Grubbing out the trees, if the price of the extra 

 wood obtained at least covers cost of extraction and the requisite 

 labour is available, would be a further powerful help towards pre- 

 paring the soil ior successful sowing. 



The coupes need not succeed each other on the* ground year 

 after year in the respective order of their dates, but at intervals of 

 years varying with the readiness and certainty of reproduction, 

 the favourable nature of the soil and climate? and the rapidity of 

 growth, of the seedlings. As a rule, the forest on both sides of a 

 cleared line should be left intact as long as the reproduction on 

 it is not assured, and the successive coupes must then form a 

 number of separate groups, the number depending on the interval 

 elapsing between the clearing of one line and that of the one 

 immediately adjoining it. 



VALUE AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE METHOD. The advantages this 

 method offers are numerous. Rain falls directly on the ground 

 and on the young seedlings ; heavy dews can form and direct 

 sunlight and a genial warmth are admitted without risk of frost 

 or excessive insolation ;- air circulates freely without any entrance 

 being given; to dangerous winds ; the roots of the young plants are 

 not prevented from extending themselves and drawing nourishment 

 from the soil by the more extensive- and more powerful root- 

 apparatus of large- trees standing in their midst ; the felling and 

 export operations need never interfere with the new generation, 

 except in so far as they may injure advance growth, which indeed 

 it is impossible to, leave unharmed whatever method of felling we 

 may adapt ; the felling and export operations themselves afford 

 the very best preparation for sowing that can be : given to the soil, 

 and save resort to those special costly measures which are nearly 

 always an indispensable accompaniment to other methods, of natural 

 regeneration by seed ; and, lastly, the almost mathematical regu- 

 larity and extreme simplicity of the work of regeneration demand 

 but little skill and experience on the part of the forester to con- 

 duct it to a successful issue. Moreover, the new crop becomes 

 established earlier than in any other method of natural regenera- 



