98 THE SELECTION METHOD 



that seed can be distributed in abundance over the cleared 

 area, and so that surrounding trees may conserve soil moisture 

 and shelter reproduction. (See Figs, t,^, 34 and 35.) 



With increase in area the groups tend to develop like small 

 evenaged stands and produce trees which have the character- 

 istics of such stands, rather than of trees grown in an uneven- 

 aged forest. 



Strip Selection. — In the group method the groups of trees 

 of the same age have the general outline of circles, squares or 

 relatively broad rectangles. Several groups of the same age 

 may be found in the same stand. The strip selection method 

 carries further the idea of the groups. All the groups of the 

 same age in a stand are combined in the form of a long nar- 

 row strip. There will be at least as many of these strips as 

 there are age classes in the stand, and in stands of large areas 

 several strips of the same age may be found. (See Figs. 36 

 and 37.) 



Such an arrangement concentrates the logging and results 

 in little if any destruction among the younger trees. The 

 strips should be made so narrow that good soil conditions are 

 preserved and reproduction sheltered by the bordering uncut 

 timber. Each strip is itself of even age, and under intensive 

 management might be considered a separate stand, in which 

 case the method becomes clearcutting with natural repro- 

 duction from the side. 



The strip selection method is theoretical in the extreme and 

 one not likely to be developed in practice. 



Extensive versus Intensive Application of the Selection Method. 

 — When markets are poor and logging expensive, only the 

 biggest and best trees are profitable to cut. Under these cir- 

 cumstances the selection method can be applied only in a 

 crude way and is simple in its operation. Extensive applica- 

 tion means long intervals between the cuts, no intermediate 



