SILVICULTURAL SYSTEMS 21 



substituted. On the other hand, natural reproduction is ap- 

 parently, though not always actually, cheaper. Natural re- 

 production follows nature's methods closely and for that reason 

 will be the method largely used for the present in this country, 

 and, in fact, has preference in certain kinds of forests in Europe. 



Fig. $. — A stand of European silver fir in the Vosges Mountains, France, lOO to 150 years, 

 managed on the selection system. 



I. Clear Cutting with Artificial Reproduction. 



By this method the area in question is cut clean and the plant- 

 ing or seeding is done afterwards. It is desirable that the slash 

 or limbs be disposed of in some way before planting. This 

 method was the chief one used by the Cornell Forest School some 

 ten years ago in the management of its extensive tracts in the 

 Adirondacks and for which the school became so unpopular that 

 it was given up. It was not realized at that time that any form 

 of clear cutting could be good forestry. It is a system admirably 

 adapted for small tracts well protected from fire, in stands which 



