218 OUR COPSES AS THET AEE. 



kinds of unsoundness. The standards may be felled one by one at 

 the very moment when each has acquired its highest utility, that 

 is to say, at extremely different ages, especially so in the case of oaks. 

 But, on the other hand, the ever-changing conditions through 

 ■which those trees have to pass bring about the premature decay of 

 a great many among them. 



Such are the principal facts that may be observed in our com- 

 pound copses, facts of extreme diversity and varying importance from 

 forest to forest, coupe to coupe, nay from one point to the next. 

 The application of this method of treatment is thus far from being 

 easy and uniform, as one might be led to imagine. It demands in- 

 telligent and unceasing care in the selection of the standards, in 

 "which operation the exercise of the forester's judgment goes for 

 a very great deal. It presents difficulties of an entirely special 

 character, due to the mixture of species and the extremely various 

 conditions under which seedlings germinate and maintain them- 

 selves under the low cover of the underwood. A clear and enlighten- 

 ed knowledge of these facts is indispensable to obtain from the Com- 

 pound Coppice method of treatment really good results. 



