130 CORSICA 



in fact, were adopted, and were in part successful. A working- 

 plans officer writes: ^^ 



"Most of the first periodic block can be considered regen- 

 erated, and, with the exception of a few areas, there is nothing 

 to do but go ahead with the final felling of the large trees 

 which prevent the development of the seedlings." 



Yet the same writer records that since i860 the forest has a 

 very irregular aspect because of windfalls which followed fell- 

 ings. From the silvical standpoint the former management is 

 criticised ^^ because of "the enlargement of the felling areas of 

 mature timber which have transformed the shelterwood method 

 into poorly arranged selection felHngs" and because of "the 

 omission of suitable measures to insure regeneration and to 

 protect the young seedlings." 



In the Marmano forest: ^° "The pine stands have the appear- 

 ance of an old, high forest in need of regeneration; the fires 

 have run over the entire forest and the butts of almost all the 

 large trees are charred by fire; timber of average size and sap- 

 Hngs are almost entirely lacking . . . the forest has never 

 been regularly cut over." It is thus certain that the dangerous 

 fire conditions were well appreciated before the shelterwood 

 system was adopted.^^ 



In the early working plan quoted the system was described as 

 consisting of natural seeding and thinnings, with the modifi- 

 cation from the usual shelterwood method, however, that the 

 customary secondary felling should be omitted. 



Failures. — In a later, revised plan ^^ for the Marmano forest, 

 it is concluded that the shelterwood system has proved a failure 

 because of fires; that for this reason it is necessary to retain 

 some of the large timber on the ground; thus "the localization 

 of age classes presents a serious danger in the conifer forests of 

 Corsica, where there are always conflagrations." 



^ Working plan for Valdoniello forest, Dec. 20, 1900, p. 15. 



29 Id., p. 19. 



^^ Marmano working plan, Feb. 4, i860, p. 4. 



3' Yet it is stated that a light ground fire on good soil often favors reproduction. 



'2 Marmano working plan, Dec. 5, 1907, pp. 13-14. 



