76 NATURAL REGENERATION 



courage regeneration. The regeneration period is 30 years. Light thin- 

 nings are made every 10 years, and usually after 35 years the canopy of 

 the crowns is complete. 



Shelterwood for Beech. — Beech forests are still important in France 

 [130] on the Parisian Plateau, on the Plateaus of Lorraine, Bourgogne, 

 Franche-Comte, on the lower mountain slopes of these regions, and on 

 all the mountains in the fir zone. The regeneration of beech is always by 

 the shelterwood method (progressive fellings), but regeneration by clear 

 felling is absolutely impossible, since the beech seedlings are very susceptible 

 to damage from late frosts and from drying out. While it is true that the 

 mast is not more frequent than the acorn crop, yet it is easier to secure 

 beech seedhngs, since on account of its tolerant quahty the advance 

 growth is often existing at the time of the seed felling, even if the cover is 

 considerable, whereas the oak seedhng must be freed from overhead 

 cover. This step is not so necessary with the beech since it is so tolerant. 

 There is less danger of the beech seedlings being damaged by weeds or 

 briars than of the oak. The seed felling with the beech is always light, 

 since the seedlings cannot stand a rapid opening up. When there is a 

 thick carpet of undecomposed dead leaves on the ground wounding the 

 soil is quite necessary in order to expose the humus. This is sometimes 

 secured by driving hogs through the area just before the seed felling, in 

 order to let them, without expense, dig up the weeds and wound the soil. 

 Frequently it is sufficient to let in enough light to eat up the leaf cover. 

 The secondary fellings are also "dark," and often it is necessary to hold 

 over trees which should be felled, on account of the danger of making too 

 large openings. This means that instead of two or three secondary fell- 

 ings, as with the oak, it may be necessary with the beech to make three 

 or four secondary felhngs. This has no drawbacks since the young beech 

 seedlings can stand the shade of the seed trees. The final felling is made 

 as soon as the seedlings have grown to the sapling stage and it should 

 not be held over too long because of the damage which results to the 

 saplings. The final felling always removes all the remaining trees. 



Shelterwood for Oak=Beech. — A feature of oak and beech naturally 

 regenerated is the maintenance of the soil in good condition and a suit- 

 able mixture of beech in the understory. The tolerant beech always has a 

 tendency to take possession of the soil and therefore it is often necessary 

 to favor the oak. This can be done by reserving more oak seed trees in 

 the seed felling and by cutting the beech in the understory, by hastening 

 the secondary felling and making it rather open wherever oak seedhngs 

 have established themselves. Otherwise, they may be crowded by the 

 tolerant beech. The seedling of the oak may be favored by wounding 

 the soil. When the seedlings are freed, and in the thinning, the oak also 

 may be favored. According to Inspecteur Badre it is very difficult to 



