SEED FELLING 73 



the simplicity of French silviculture and the absence of variations from 

 the few standard systems of cutting which have been in use for centuries. 

 The keynote to French practice is that the method of natural regenera- 

 tion should closely approximate nature's method. "Strip cuttings," 

 according to Jolyet, "are nothing more than a variation of clear cutting." 

 In theory, at least, it should succeed with spruce, provided the strips are 

 not too wide. They should be in the shape of long rectangles and should 

 extend up and down the slope with their axis preferably at right angles to 

 the prevailing wind. Since this method of cutting has not been de- 

 veloped by French silviculture, the details will not be discussed here. 



Shelterwood Cuttings in Oak. — Some of the best high forests [81] of 

 France are composed of sessile oak (with some beech in mixture) on sandy 

 loam soil. These soils are often quite sandy in character and yet splendid 

 forests, such as Perseigne, Berce, Blois, Senonches, Belleme, result. 

 Thanks to the mild climate, the acorn crop is frequent but by no means 

 annual, as in the valley of the Adour. In this region an acorn crop can be 

 counted on every 6 to 8 years; besides the sandy soil is particularly favor- 

 able to natural seeding. In former days hunting to hounds was ex- 

 tremely popular, so that it was fortunately necessary to have high forests 

 rather than coppice. The first regular method of cutting applied to these 

 high forests was the so-called "tire et aire" — successive clear cutting 

 with a reservation of eight seed trees per hectare (2.5 acres). Unfor- 

 tunately the acorn crop did not always correspond with the year of re- 

 generation felling and the soil was soon covered with weeds and heather. 

 It is ordinarily sufficient, however, to have an acorn crop the year before 

 felling, or at least within two or three years after. 



To-day these oak (beech) forests are treated by what the French call 

 the method of progressive ^ fellings (shelterwood system), or "system of 

 natural regeneration and thinnings." This method means felling not at 

 one time by a clear cutting, but instead by a number of cuttings succeed- 

 ing one another and removing progressively all the old trees. These cut- 

 tings are called seed fellings, secondary felhngs, and final fellings which 

 together constitute the regeneration fellings. 



Seed Felling. — Seed felling, as the term impHes, aims at starting 

 regeneration. In order that the seedhngs may start two things are 

 necessary : plenty of seed and a chance for development for the seedlings 

 after they have germinated. Three steps comprise these seed fellings: 

 (1) The crowns of a certain number of trees designated as seed trees are 

 isolated. This gives light for the development of the seed trees as well 

 as for the development of the existing seedlings. The isolation of these 



^Also termed "regular method" for high forests. The French have never copied 

 the German term "shelterwood." They prefer "progressive cutting" (coupes pro- 

 gressives). 



