202, SECTIONAL ADDRESSES 
and maintains the forest for her own purposes. On the other hand, man 
exploits the forest for his comfort and wellbeing, but if he oversteps 
certain limits in his treatment of the forest for the sake of extra gain or 
profit to himself, Nature revolts, with the result that man defeats his 
own ends. 
If we are to make use of Nature’s free gifts, in the natural regeneration 
of the forest, we must study the natural biological laws under which the 
process can take place. As we have seen, Nature works slowly but surely 
in her conservation of the primeval forest, irrespective of what the utility 
and value of the species may be to man. Man’s idea is to grow certain 
species only in massed, even-aged assemblages, in order to obtain the 
maximum amount of timber of the kind, size and quality he wants, and 
if he expects Nature to help in the quick and certain regeneration of these 
artificial woods, at the end of what he considers the most advantageous 
age or rotation, he must make certain provisions in accordance with 
natural laws. ‘This can be done by appropriate silvicultural treatment. 
The trees must be of a suitable seed-producing age, the forest floor must 
be in a suitable condition for the reception and germination of the seed, 
and the conditions of light, moisture and temperature must be suitable 
for the future growth and development of the seedlings. These three 
things are of fundamental importance. In most of the mature and 
maturing woods which have been treated under the strict artificial rules 
of so-called forest management, the question of quick and certain natural 
regeneration often presents insurmountable difficulties. At the time 
required by the working plan the trees may not be in a suitable condition 
for flowering and seeding ; the forest floor, under light demanders, may 
be long past the best conditions for the reception and germination of seed, 
owing to weed growth, and under shade bearers an over-abundance of 
humus, especially raw humus, is equally unfavourable. Many years are 
required to bring the trees and the forest floor into a suitable condition 
for natural regeneration, and if this is attempted over a whole compartment 
simultaneously, the result is seldom satisfactory. In dense-canopied, 
even-aged stands a series of preliminary fellings, called preparatory 
fellings, must be gradually carried out to allow more light and room for 
the selected seed trees, in as even distribution throughout the stand as 
possible, and also gradually to prepare those trees for their more isolated 
conditions and resistance to wind. Under shade bearers this opening 
up of the canopy leads to the disintegration of over-abundant humus by 
allowing more direct access of precipitations and light, and also by increased 
aeration due to the freer circulation of the air. Under light demanders 
it means costly artificial surface and soil preparation. In either case, 
when the soil is in its most suitable condition a further felling is made 
either immediately before or during a seed year, if one should happen to 
occur at the right time ; if not, it means delay and the soil gets past its 
best condition for seed germination. Even if a seed year should occur at 
the right time, there are many climatic and weather conditions which may 
prevent complete and uniform regeneration over the whole area: only 
patches of seedlings may occur here and there. This means waiting for 
a second seed year, which may be five or ten years hence, meantime 
