THE WORKING SCHEME IN COMPOUND COPSES. 243 



The hornbeam, which grows abuadantly in the low and lich 

 portions of the forest, forms an excellent auxiliary species in the 

 underwood ; but it may become harmful, especially as standards, 

 by taking up the place of other species and interfering with their 

 reproduction. It will be enough if we reserve a few trees of this 

 species for one or, at the outside, two Rotations, particularly in 

 places where it is rare. 



The alder may be able to furnish a few standards of the second 

 and even the third class, but only along the immediate banks of 

 watercourses and in the absence of oak and ash. 



The elm, which also grows in this forest and is of the common 

 kind, possesses a thick cover and yields a soft wood, which unfits it 

 for serving as a standard tree. 



After the formed treesliave been marked, the further preserva- 

 tion of which is justified by the species to which they belong, by 

 their state of growth, and by their relative situation, and which 

 trees compose the essential portion of the reserve, the youngest 

 class of standards will be selected, first of all, from among the young- 

 est oak poles of the underwood. All individuals of this species that 

 are well grown must be preserved, provided they stand sufficiently 

 well apart from one another (from 20 to 27 feet for instance) so as 

 to be free to develop a full crown. 



Where there is no oak, flourishing ash poles, strong and vigor- 

 ous aspen (easy to recognise by the distinctive marks they present 

 to the eye) and birches of robust growth selected at proper inter- 

 vals will form, no matter what their number, the necessary com- 

 plement to advantageously complete the reserve. 



With respect to beech and hornbeam the procedure must be 

 entirely different. First class standards of these species should be 

 preserved here and there, not less than 8 to the acre. At the same 

 time they must not be so numerous as to predominate over all 

 other species and injuriously influence the composition aud growth 

 of the forest. It will be safe to limit the maximum number to 16 

 per acre, that is to say, they should stand from 50 to 70 feet apart 

 when more or less uniformly distributed over the ground. 



