190 ELEMENTS OF SYLVICULTURE. 



the contrary when the cuttings are not located in 

 successive order, the younger crops get shut up, as 

 it were, in the midst of the older crops, and thus 

 suffer along their whole perimeter from the action 

 of cover. The mischief is all the greater, as the 

 perimeter of the cutting is more irregular, and 

 therefore longer ; for the width of the suffering belt 

 remains constant. In the second place, it is easy to 

 see that the damage caused to any part of the forest 

 by operations in an adjacent portion where fellings 

 are being made is less when the cuttings succeed 

 each other in order, and have a regular form. 

 Lastly it is the young crops which require the most 

 careful watching both as regards their vegetation or 

 the prevention of offences. This would be facilitated 

 in an eminent degree, if they were grouped together, 

 that is to say, if they followed each other in their 

 order of date. 



Notwithstanding the great advantages which fol- 

 low from the observation of the first Eule, the actual 

 condition of our forests does not always admit of its 

 universal and strict application, at least in high 

 forests. It seldom happens that the different crops 

 succeed each other in order of their age. If we lo- 

 cated our cuttings according to the letter of the first 

 Kule we should be forced to introduce felling opera- 

 tions when they would be too early or too late, that 

 is to say, we should sacrifice the present or the 

 future without any compensating advantage. The 

 wiser course is to aim constantly at regularity, with- 

 out exposing ourselves to any great sacrifice. Pro- 

 vided the cuttings are located in regular order over a 



