516 



APPENDIX 



theoretical cut is held in reserve to provide for such emergencies as windfall and other 

 damages so that the actual cut is prescribed at 348 cubic meters per year, which is 

 obviously much less than the actual growth. The working plan provides that the 

 whole area be cut over by improvement fellings every 17 years. 



(7) COMMUNAL FOREST OF BURDIGNIN (HAUTE-SAVOIE) 



The working plan for the communal forest of Burdignin, written by Schaeffer in 1897, 

 presents another interesting example of French yield regulation. This forest comprises 

 67.11 hectares, is situated at an altitude of 1,300 meters and the stand is composed of 

 spruce, 80 per cent; fir, 18 per cent; beech, 1 per cent; Austrian pine and larch, 1 per 

 cent. Schaeffer calls it a model of regularity especially as regards the second and third 

 periodic blocks. The yield was formerly fixed at 136 cubic meters per j'ear. A period 

 of 18 years was found too short to get satisfactory and complete regeneration in the 

 first periodic block. The yield from thinnings has been irregular. In 1881 it was 15 

 cubic meters; in 1882, 22 cubic meters; in 1890, 222 cubic meters; in 1891 and 1894, 

 but 75 cubic meters. The rotation was 120 years and the diameter hmit was 0.40; 

 the period was fixed at 20 years in the 1897 working plan. The cut prescribed was 280 

 cubic meters by volume with the addition of the improvement fellings yield on 5.63 

 hectares each year. According to Schaeffer, care was to be taken not to open up the 

 stand too fast and the thinnings had to aim at developing the stand without making 

 sacrifices to regularize it. Trees without a future were removed, Imt he aimed at 

 keeping the top cover complete. In the older stands the thinnings were essentially 

 crown thinnings. (Par le haut.) 



The following analysis of the .stand was made in Schaeffer's working plan : 



"To determine the yield, it is necessary to first divide the stand enumerated in three 

 groups or classes (young wood, average wood, and old wood). We consider the coni- 

 fers 16 inches and over in diameter ' old wood ' and the beech 12 inches and over . . . 

 the conifers 8 to 14 inches, and the beech 8 to 10 inches 'average wood,' and the trees 

 6 inches 'small wood.' This division has been made in the following table: 



"It is evident from this table that the normal proportion of five to three which 

 should exist between the large wood and the average wood is far from being attained. 

 To obtain it one must transfer 2,567 cubic meters (or about two-thirds the conifers 14 

 inches in diameter) from the average wood class to the old wood. We consider this 

 transfer justified because a 16-inch tree is considered merchantable in this region and 

 most of the 14-inch stems will reach this size during the period. We, moreover, propose 

 (to avoid any disaster) not to count the future growth of the old wood . . . 

 prudence and moderation. 



"The volume to be cut during the one-third of the rotation will then be: 8,651.8 + 



11 219 

 2,567 = 11,219 cubic meters in round figures, when the yield will be: ' = 280 



cubic meters. 



"The thinnings are already ordered (September 18, 1880), by nine year cycles; they 

 have given good results and we propose to continue them. Since the periodic blocks 



