U8 ELEMENTS OF SYLVICULTTJEE. 



precedes, it is easy to show the inferiority of this 

 method to the method of thinnings. 



The quality of the timber produced is inferior. 

 For the young trees are overtopped by the higher 

 ones, and do not emerge into the top-story until 

 they have passed through alternate periods of sup- 

 pression and unimpeded growth ; the result is, that 

 the annual rings are of unequal size, and this leads to 

 a want of homogeneousness and elasticity. Trees of 

 the same height do not grow side by side so as to 

 form a leaf-canopy, and their branches remain a 

 long time on the bole, producing many large knots in 

 the wood. The felling of trees, scattered about in a 

 crop that is always complete, must of a necessity 

 injure the trunks of their neighbours by tearing off 

 branches or bruising their bark ; now in the case of 

 conifers, these wounds heal up with difficulty, and, 

 cause internal decay. The removal of the produce 

 injures in the same manner the lower part of the 

 bole. 



The quantity of the produce, too, is less : for this 

 method is incompatible with the execution of thin- 

 nings, and by that fact alone there is a clear loss in 

 material. 



Lastly, as far as regards the management of the 

 forest, it is evident that as the exploitations are 

 carried on every year over a large area, supervision 

 becomes a matter of extreme difficulty, and is often 

 ineffective. 



Nevertheless, side by side with these defects that 

 we have just pointed out, the selection method 

 presents some important advantages ; it ensure 



