COPPICE WITH STAND AEDS. 151 



objection that in this case the reserve furnishes im- 

 portant produce the yield of which should be steadily 

 maintained and accurately determined, it may be 

 answered that the same fluctuations would exist if 

 the annual yield were based on volume, and more- 

 over the length of the rotation would in that case be 

 uncertain. 



MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS. As in high forest 

 so in coppice, certain improvement operations are 

 necessary, if it is to be kept at its highest pitch of 

 production. These operations relate as well to the 

 reserve as to the coppice. The latter ought to be 

 cleaned and thinned, and may need a little planting ; 

 the former require to be pruned, using the term here 

 in its general sense. 



CLEANINGS. Gleanings in coppice are intended 

 to set free the tellers, and generally to encourage the 

 more valuable species. Only let the rotation for the 

 coppice be long enough (say thirty years), and it will 

 be the exception not to find seedlings on the ground 

 at the moment of cutting. Nay the number is fre- 

 quently quite large enough not only to keep up the 

 underwood, but also to ensure a plentiful supply of 

 material for the future reserve. But although the 

 seedlings have maintained themselves until the time 

 for cutting arrives, they are not yet out of danger 

 for all that. On the contrary, now is the most critical 

 moment for them. The reason is clear. Coppice 

 shoots grow much more rapidly at first ; and, if 

 during the first two or three years, the seedlings are 

 not immediately overtopped, the cause is to be traced 

 to the wide space between two successive stools. 



