GERMAN COMMENT ON FRENCH FORESTRY 475 



is never safe, however, to formulate universal rules for the establishing of stands — 

 on the contrary account must always be taken of the site factors. 



Care of the Stand, and Thinning. — In France due emphasis is laid upon the 

 retention of the oak. The necessity for their regular and continued examination 

 becomes more insistent the more beech takes part in the composition of the stand. 

 In general, this is true to a greater extent in the northern and eastern parts of the 

 country than in the southern and western. In mixed stands the cleaning axe should 

 be applied every 4 to 5 years. The disastrous effects of too long an interval are strongly 

 emphasized in the literature: "In fact a few years of neglect or oversight in this work, 

 so expensive and tiresome to the force, is sufficient for irrevocably losing all the oak" 

 (Boppe, Sylviculture). The hornbeam gives little trouble in mixture with the oak 

 because of its slower growth; the oak is always the faster grower. Wherever this 

 thrives, however, other faster-growing species come in, namely, birch (Betula, L.), 

 aspen {Populus, L.), alder {Alnus, Ehrb.), round-leaved willow {Salix caprea, L.), etc. 

 At first valuable as nurse-trees and auxiliary species in effecting the closing of the stand, 

 they soon become harmful. With the removal of softwoods (Weichholzer) poorly grown 

 oaks are likewise disposed of. Because of the dense stands and the favorable site factors 

 there is less of this work necessary here than in many German forests where the condi- 

 tions for the growth of the oak as compared with those for its associates are less favor- 

 able. 



As far as thinnings are concerned we are not aware of anything which would indicate 

 that the methods are in any way different from those at present practiced in most of 

 the German forest regions. The eclair cie par le haul (thinning in the upper story), 

 which is considered typical of French management, was seen in pure stands far less 

 than had been anticipated. As in Germany, it is practiced everywhere in mixed stands. 

 As to the age for beginning the thinnings, the appearance of epicormic branches (branches 

 gourmandes) , not only upon the suppressed but also on the dominant trees, is regarded 

 as an indication of crowding ("the upper story is, on the whole, too crowded"), and 

 therefore enlargement of the crown space of standing trees which are too much sup- 

 pressed is indicated. In general the thinnings are repeated less frequently than is con- 

 sidered necessary in Germany. In the juvenile stage it is considered usual to return 

 in 8 to 10 years at the most; later, the intervals are longer. "Thinnings are repeated 

 at intervals of 6 to 12 years during the stages from sapling (gaidis) to large pole {haul 

 perchis), that is from 12 to 20 years of age up to the size of standards. ... As 

 far as we have been able to determine the actual practice corresponds to these theories 

 in the literature (Boppe). In the forests of Belleme and Berce which we visited 

 the working plans provided for two thinnings within a period of 24 years. This plan 

 was strictly carried out. Any variation requires the approval of the conservator. 



The grade of the thinnings made in the forests under consideration can, in general, be 

 designated as "moderate." The young stands of oak which we had opportunity of 

 going through or of looking at were denser than we would consider desirable for the oak. 

 Later on, the object will be the strengthening of the trees with good crown development 

 which have been overlooked. "The thinnings should be conducted with the sole object 

 hardiment (unhesitatingly) of favoring those trees which are judged to be the best, 

 gradually giving them sufficient room for a free crown development. They begin as 

 soon as the trees to be preserved have been definitely decided upon" (Boppe). In 

 accordance with this direction in French silvicultural literature the best trees in the 

 60-year or older pole-wood stands shown to us, which were to be favored in the thinning, 

 were marked by white streaks of paint (Fdrbstriche). Even in the older stands the cover 

 is not to be appreciably interrupted. Therefore the increase in the growing space most 

 desirable for the individual tree is often considerably too small. ("Care must always 



