ALLOCATION OF FELLINGS. 115 



maintenance of the forest depends on its observance. In the 

 generality of cases, it is enough if we endeavour to secure as much 

 regularity as possible, while attending strictly to the requisite 

 conditions of Exploitabilrty. At the next exploitation either the 

 desired regularity can be fully secured, or a further step made 

 towards its attainments However it be, we can never hope to 

 obtain an absolute regularity, for during the long lives of forest 

 crops many unforeseen circumstances may always arise to disturb 

 the prescribed regularity. It would therefore be the height of folly 

 to strive to realize an impossihility and sacrifice for uncertain 

 results the growth of valuable products. 



The deductions we have drawn with respect to the First RuJe 

 for locating coupes, the most important one of all, apply also 

 more or less to the rest. The Secoad Rule directs that the 

 exploitations shall be distributed in such a manner, that the 

 produce obtained may not have to be carried through coupes 

 recently exploited. The removal of wood, and especially the 

 transport of large logs, requires considerable room in the very 

 midst of the forest. That operation is a fruitful source of injury, 

 often irreparable, amongst coppice regrowth, and, generally speaking, 

 in all young standing timber. The Second Rule for locating coupes 

 thus prescribes the means for avoiding such mischief. In organi- 

 sing a forest, it should be applied compartment by compartment, so 

 that the compartments farthest from roads may be exploited first, as 

 also all elevated portions of steep slopes, the timber from which has 

 to be slipped down, or dragged through the crops lower down. As 

 regards the manner of applying this Rule, each canton or zone of forest 

 situated along a single slope should be considered separately, sijice 

 it is naturally independent of every other. To speak more general- 

 ly, this Rule need be applied only by separate groups of, compart- 

 laents, each group being served by the same road, or export line. 



In copses there is never any crop old enough to allow of carts 

 or timber passing through it without injury. Each coupe of 

 copse must, therefore, possess at least one export road that does not 

 pass through any other coupe. Hence the necessity of extending 

 such coupes right down to a road", so that each road may serve a 

 number of coupes, situated on either side of it ; hence also the- 

 expediency of cutting bridle paths which also answer the purpose.- 

 of export lines. 



