88 NOTES ON FORESTRY. 



practice it is possible to modify the system by 

 leaving the trees of each stage of growth in larger 

 or smaller clumps, instead of singly, and that, when 

 it is desired, scattered trees may be left to attain 

 the largest possible dimensions with little prejudice 

 to the young crop below. 



The annual outcome, cceteris paribus, is said to 

 be barely two-thirds of the outcome from timber 

 forests worked by rotation of area ; and, with the 

 progress of scientific forestry in Germany within 

 the last century, the method has been to a great ex- 

 tent abandoned in State forests, but it still prevails 

 in private forests, the proprietors or managers of 

 which attach little weight to the objections against 

 their method, and smile complacently upon the new 

 system. 



This system of felling by selection has been 

 spoken of very favourably for India, and there can be 

 little doubt that it is the method best adapted to 

 lofty mountain ranges, the steep slopes of which, if 

 laid bare area by area, would be exposed to erosion 

 by avalanches, landslips, &c. In mixed forests, too, 

 worked mainly for one valuable class of timber, 

 which is not the preponderating class in the forest, 

 the system of felling by selection could not gener- 

 ally be departed from without felling a great deal of 

 immature timber in course of transition ; but even 

 here, if the conditions were such that it were pos- 



