212' THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF WORKING PLANS 



creased danger of windfall, fire, insects, fungi, etc.), even though 

 these are less in France by reason of the prevalence of the nat- 

 ural reproduction and the predominance of hardwoods than 

 they would be, for example, under German conditions. 



Determination of the Allowed Annual Cut is both by volumes 

 and by values. For the cuttings of the first period a special 

 cutting plan or felling budget is drawn up (Reglement special 

 des exploitations pour la premiere periode) in which the cutting 

 areas and volumes are entered, arranged according to the 

 divisions and subdivisions and according to final cuttings 

 (Coupes principales) further divided into Coupes ordinaires 

 and Coupes extraordinaires, and thinnings (Coupes inter- 

 mediaires). 



The volume of the Coupes principales is determined first by 

 caliper measurements entered separately by species; the volumes 

 are then computed from volume tables based on the contents 

 of sample trees of the various diameter classes. 



The increment for the years elapsing between the estimate 

 and the cutting is disregarded in the computation. 



Thinnings are regulated by area; their volume is taken from 

 the experience of the preceding decade. 



To the determination of the allowed annual cut by volume 

 is added one by values (Evaluation en argent de la possibilite). 

 This is based on the estimate of the classes of timber which is 

 made for each species and for each class on the value according 

 to the prevailing prices (prix sur pied par nature de mar- 

 chandises) . Adding the values of each class gives the total value 

 of the felling budget. 



The regulation of cut in coppice and in coppice with stand- 

 ards is by area. Coppice systems have reached a point of 

 development in France far in advance of that in other European 

 countries. The regulation of coppice dates from the ordinances 

 of Colbert in 1669. The division of area depends on the rota- 

 tion age of the coppice under the standards. In the State for- 

 ests 50 per cent have a coppice rotation of twenty to thirty 

 years; 46 per cent have a rotation of over thirty years in the 



