34 THE CLEARCUTTING INIETHOD 



seed and for creating ideal seedbed conditions becomes of 

 importance only where dependence is placed upon natural 

 reproduction. 



The timber on the uncut strips furnishes a portion or all of 

 the seed for stocking the uncut strips, to some extent favor- 

 ably affects site conditions on uncut strips and affords pro- 

 tection to the seedlings which start. To perform these func- 

 tions to best advantage the uncut strips must be relatively 

 close together, and be located at right angles to the wind 

 direction at seed dispersal time. 



When the strips of timber left at the time of the first cut are 

 removed, natural reproduction on these areas cannot be 

 secured in the same way as on the strips first cut. There are 

 no belts of timber left to furnish seed. The seed must come 

 from the trees which are cut or else resort must be had to 

 artificial reproduction. If a seed year can be selected as the 

 time for making the second cutting successful reproduction 

 may be secured. In many cases the cutting cannot be de- 

 layed until a good seed year. Under such circumstances in 

 order to secure natural reproduction some other method than 

 clearcutting may be used to reproduce the strips left standing 

 at the first cutting. The seed tree or the shelterwood meth- 

 ods are commonly employed. Refer to Chapters IV and V. 

 The use of either of these necessitates two or more cuttings 

 to remove the timber, and hence lengthens the total period of 

 regeneration. Reproduction may in some cases be hastened 

 and made more certain by thinning the uncut strips at the 

 time the first strips are clear cut. 



The simplest and most satisfactory way of reproducing the 

 strips left after the first cutting is to cut them clear and plant. 

 This combines natural reproduction on the first strips with 

 artificial regeneration upon the second. 



In Fig. 5, 50 per cent of the area has been assigned to 



