SEPTEMBER 4, 1902] 
“oam above cerithic limestone, sand and quartzite. It is one of 
the finest forests in France, c ntaining 
Beech “55 eet 40 per cent. 
Hornbeam .. ee a say eK) 5 
Pedunculate oak ... ie Hem a 
Sallow, poplar, chestnut and elm 3 ” 
Conifers... ; a AY aa 
During the last thirty years, oak has been extensively planted 
in the young woods, so that it is hoped to raise the percentage 
of this species to 33 per cent. We inspected some of 
the regeneration areas and thinnings, under the guidance of 
M. Cottignies, Inspecteur des Eaux et Foréts, and his as- 
sistants, and were greatly pleased with the results, not a single 
blank existing in the forest. 
On August 21, the Society visited the Forét de Compiégne 
(36,072 acres with a gross revenue of 33,480/.). It is situated 
on a poorer and drier soil than that of the Forét de Retz, half 
the area being flat and on Eocene sands and clay, the rest hilly 
(117 to 495 feet altitude) and above nummulitic sand and lime- 
r 
bles ok 
_ _ Fic. 1.—Sessile Oak in the Forét de Belléme. 
Girth at 4 ft. 6 in. =9 ft. gin. Total height rrg ft. 6 in. 
stone. M. Peiffer, Inspecteur des Eaux et Foréts, conducted 
us through the forest, which, when I saw it in 1871, was over- 
stocked with red deer and rabbits, so that natural regeneration 
was rendered almost impossible. Although game is still im- 
portant and produces an annual rental of 3880/., yet it is now 
kept sufficiently in check, and the regeneration of the forest is 
proceeding satisfactorily, chiefly by natural seed. A practical 
illustration was given of setting free oak saplings from invasive 
growth of inferior species. This is done by the forest guards 
with a crescent-shaped cutting instrument having a handle about 
4 feet long, and attracted much attention and commendation. 
The party visited the splendid Chateau de Pierrefonds, which, 
under Napoleon III., was restored to its former condition in the 
middle ages by M. Violet le Duc, and from its watch-tower a 
most extensive forest panorama of the two forests of Retz and 
Compiégne was seen. We were then joined by M. Daubrée, 
the chief of the French Forest Department, and by the Con- 
servateurs of Paris and Amiens, MM. Récopé and Molleveaux, 
NO. 1714, VOL. 66] 
NATURE 
451 
and inspected the sessile oaks of the Beaux Monts. Sucha mass 
of huge 300-year-old oak trees is to be seen only in France. A 
photograph of a French sessile oak taken by M. Granger, 
one of the Compiégne forest officers, is here reproduced. 
The Mayor of Compiegne and the French officials dined with 
the Society in the covered courtyard of the hotel, which was 
ornamented with flags, creepers and evergreen trees. Besides the 
usual patriotic speeches by the president and the Mayor of 
Compiegne, Mr. Elwes, F.R.S., proposed the health of the 
French Forest Department in an excellent French speech, which 
was responded to most sympathetically by M. Daubrée, who 
invited the party to visit other French forests on some future 
occasion, and expressed his thanks for being elected one of our 
vice-presidents. 
On August 22, most of the visitors went to Paris, some 
of whom visited the Forét de Fontainebleau, but several pro- 
ceeded to Valenciennes and spent two days in the splendid 
coppice-with-standards of the State forests of S. Amand (8290 
acres) and the private forest of Raismes (3500 acres) belonging 
to the Duchesse d’Aremberg. These forests are on Tertiary 
sandy loam above the Coal-measures, and are noticeable for the 
equable distribution of standards (chiefly oak and ash) from ten 
to 120 years old. This is less marked in the State Forest, 
- Fic. 2.—Pedunculate Oak in the Forét de S. Amand. 
owing to wholesale felling of old oaks from 1790 to 1815. The 
ideal to be aimed at is to have 1400 cubic feet of standards per 
acre when the underwood is twenty-five years old, and to fell 
half this volume, leaving 700 cubic feet to grow for another 
twenty-five years, when it should again amount to 1400 cubic feet. 
A photograph is here given of one of these old standards, the 
distinctive growth of which, as compared with that of the oak 
grown in high forest, being noteworthy. During the Napoleonic 
wars, a large area in the forest of S. Amand had become mere 
heather and bracken waste; this was sown with Scotch pine 
about sixty years ago ; the oak has sprung up naturally among 
these pines, which are being gradually removed every six years, 
and broad-leaved forest, chiefly of birch under oak standards, 
results. Each of these forests produces a net revenue of about 
41 25. 6d. per acre. 
A full account of the notes taken in this expedition will be 
published in this year’s Proceedings of the Society, the chief 
object gained being the continual discussion in the forest. of in- 
teresting points of forestry by the members and the French 
foresters, and the demonstration of the successful following of 
a continuous plan through many decades for producing fine 
timber. W. -R. FISHER, 
