SYSTEMATIC FORESTRY 121 



large figure, such as one-tenth, one-fifteenth, or 

 one-twentieth of the whole area. 



Fellings are of necessity generally intermittent. 

 The age of the trees and the state of the markets 

 sometimes make sales of timber impossible. Or 

 there may not be always a sufficient quantity 

 of mature timber to make a sale sufficiently 

 large to attract timber merchants. Still, it is 

 generally possible to arrange for the gradual 

 removal of mature timber and the subsequent 

 replanting of the cleared ground. 



There is no necessity for a rigid rule; woods 

 grow at different rates ; and if the date of felling 

 is fixed by a rigid rule timber would sometimes 

 be cut before it was ripe and at other times 

 left standing after it had reached maturity. 

 Whatever plan is first adopted can always be 

 altered, either to meet variations in the market- 

 price of timber or to carry out improvements 

 suggested by experience. The important thing 

 is to have a plan, and not to cut and plant 

 casually. In the absence of a plan there is a 

 possibility that the woods will be cut severely 

 when the owner is short of money, and where 

 this is not the case the maturity of the older 

 woods is overlooked and they are retained long 

 after they have ceased to grow. In either case 



