ELEMENTS OF SYLVICULTURE. 



PART I. 



DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL IDEAS. 



SYLVICULTUKE is the whole body of observed facts 

 which relate to forest vegetation, arranged and 

 combined into a system in so far as they apply to 

 the treatment of forests. Like everything else that 

 is based on observation, sylviculture is essentially a 

 progressive art ; but every rational method of work- 

 ing forests must necessarily have as its objects : a 

 steady yield, natural reproduction, and constant 

 improvement of the produce. 



DEFINITIONS. Climate is the state of the atmos- 

 phere at a particular place on the earth, as regards 

 the temperature, the intensity of light, the amount 

 of humidity, and the preVailing winds. 



The situation of a place is its position relatively 

 to its height above the sea (eleva.tion), considered in 

 connection with the configuration of the earth in 

 that place. 



The aspect of any tract is the direction (point of 

 the compass) in which it slopes, 



By topsoil we mean the upper layer of the earth 

 attainable by the roots of plants, without any 

 reference to its composition ; differences in its com- 

 position give rise to the various soils we meet with 



B 



