TIMBER; FORESTRY 121 



trees and bushes. Contour plowing (that is, plowing around 

 the hill instead of up and down it), terracing, ditching at 

 right angles to the lines of slope, and underdraining, all help 

 to prevent erosion. 



113. Rules for forest management. For a detailed account 

 of the mode of keeping up the productiveness of woodlands 

 and of handling timber one must go to special treatises on 

 forestry. 1 In this place there is room to name only a very 

 few of the things to which the forester, or manager of timber- 

 lands, must attend. 



1. A timber forest, or woodland, consisting in considerable 

 part of full-grown trees, should be cut over on a selective 

 plan ; that is to say, only those trees should be felled which 

 are nearly or quite full-grown, or which are too much crowded 

 or in some way imperfect or diseased. This kind of selection 

 may not be possible in case the location of the forest is rather 

 inaccessible, and therefore large gangs of men must be taken 

 into the woods and the cutting all done within a limited season. 

 As far as possible the felling must be so managed that prom- 

 ising young trees are not barked or otherwise injured by the 

 falling trunks of the trees which are cut. 



2. In managing coppice woods the trees must be cut as soon 

 as they reach a merchantable size usually in from twenty to 

 forty years. 



3. During the period of most active growth all woodlands 

 should be kept covered with a reasonably close stand, so as 

 to secure self -pruning and to discourage the growth of much- 

 branched trees, like those shown in figures 99 and 219, which, 

 when cut into lumber, will be very full of knots. 



4. Forest fires must be prevented, especially in woods of 

 coniferous trees. No fires for any purpose should ever be 

 kindled during dry weather in the heart of such woodlands, 

 except in moderately large clearings that are free from brush. 

 Cutting up large tracts of forest into smaller portions by 



1 For elementary principles, see Roth, First Book of Forestry. Ginn and 

 Company, Boston. 



