180 ELEMENTS OF SYLVICULTUEE. 



To sum up, it has been observed that the cultural 

 operations in conversions consist of regeneration 

 cuttings, improvement cuttings (preparation for 

 conversion), and provisional copsing. 



BEGENEKATION CUTTINGS. We have already seen, 

 in discussing the treatment of high oak forests, that 

 the first regeneration cutting ought to be made close. 

 In the present case it ought even to be very close 

 so as to oppose one more obstacle to the probable 

 production of stool shoots. The best and largest 

 quantity of seed will be furnished by the standards ; 

 these must, therefore, be all preserved, unless they 

 are in full decay. They will seldom be numerous 

 enough to insure the requisite amount of shade, and 

 for this purpose it will be necessary to associate with 

 them a certain number of the finest poles of the 

 underwood. The isolation which the reserves have 

 undergone produces a large development of crown, 

 but on the other hand only a moderate length of 

 bole. Hence it will often be necessary to lop off low 

 branches, for the most part of beech and hornbeam. 

 As these trees are to be felled at the latest in the 

 final cutting, it is unnecessary to be over careful in 

 this operation. But the case is different with 

 oak. Those oak trees which are ripe for the axe 

 may be pruned according to the directions given in 

 a former chapter ; as for the rest, no live branch is 

 to suffer this mutilation. As a matter of course, it 

 is necessary to clear away the low vegetation which 

 may cover the ground and prevent the establishment 

 of a crop of seedlings. 



The secondary cutting ought to be made with 



