A M E R I C A \ S Y T. V I C L L T l" R E 



A. Primeval forms of seed forests. 



I. Characteristic for all primeval forms is a relative preponder- 

 ance of tlie hypermature age-classes (veterans) ; a relative 

 defieiejiey of the youngest age-classes (seedlings, saplings and poles); 

 the presence of a large number of dead, decaying or unsound speci- 

 mens only temporarily excelled in the " culled forms ; " a large 

 number of dead corpses of trees spread flat on the ground; irregular 

 confines of the parts composing the aggregates; irregular composi- 

 tion of such parts by age-classes and species, many of which may 

 be Aveeds; usually a heavy layer of humus on the ground; usually 

 the presence of a few strikingly large and spotless trees overtower- 

 ing their neighbors; absolute lack of permanent means of trans- 

 portation. 



II. Subdivision of primeval forms of seed forests. 



According to the relative share held by species of " weed trees " 

 in the mixture of species composing them, the primeval forests 

 might be subdivided into pauci- multi-, and omnivendible forests. 

 Primeval woods, in which but 10% of the timber species command 

 a value, might be called " paucivendible "; at 50%, the term " multi- 

 A'endible " and at approximately 100%, the term " omnivendible " 

 might be applied. 



The vendibility of the members composing the forest, whilst it 

 controls the possibility and the manner of its sylvicultural man- 

 agement, does not influence in the slightest degree the actual orig- 

 inal display of the forest. 



It will be best, consequently, to subjoin the viewpoint of 

 vendibility to the viewpoint of actual composition of the forest 

 as displayed in the size of its composing parts — notably of its age- 

 classes. 



Thus we arrive at: 



a. A selection form, where the age-classes raised are mixed 

 by trees or small patches — a very uneven-aged form; 



b. A group form, where the age-classes raised are segregated 

 in groups occupying from one-tenth to four acres; 



c. A compartment form, where the age-classes raised are segre- 

 gated in large, coherent areas (coves, slopes) covering from twenty 

 to one hundred acres — a very even-aged form of forest. 



The epideta " paucivendible," " multivendible " and " omnivend- 

 ible " added to the terms " selection form," " group form "* and 

 " compartment form " readily explain, in crude lines, the sylvi- 

 cultural as well as the economic display of a primeval forest. 



The groups or the compartments often show a sprinkling of 

 15G 



