268' CONTEKSIOK 01" COFnCE ISTO HIGFir FOREST^ 



Communes that are owners- of forests would seem to be placed 

 In the same position as the State, but it is easy tO' understand at the- 

 very first glance that the replacement of the crops aged, say, froirs' 

 1 to 30 yearSj which constitute the accumulated capital of a copse, 

 by the n>uch larger stock of ai regular hfgh foixst, is possible only oi» 

 the condition of foregoing a portion of the annual production, and 

 thus necessarily of reducing the quota of the cuttings and restrict- 

 ing the exercise of its rights on the part of the present geDerastion. 

 This reduction may be slight or considerable, according as the stand- 

 ing stock to be replaced by high forest is large or small, or con- 

 tains within itself the materials for easy and rapid or difficult and 

 protracted regeneration. Under certain circumstances it may be 

 kept down at as low a figure as- one could desire by a skilful Organi- 

 sation Project, and spread more or less equally over all the succes- 

 sive Periods of the Rotation adopted for the conversion. But in nO' 

 case can it be obviated. The coHversion of a copse into high forest 

 hence demands on the part of the owner a willingness to forego- 

 for the time being a portion of his income, and ta transfer, for the 

 benefit o-f future generations, this portion to the capital sunk in th© 

 standing stock. We have no right to- expect the Communes to sub- 

 mit to such a sacrifi^ce ; and, for a long time to come, save in a few 

 exceptional eases justified by special circumstances, there is very 

 little probability that the Communes as a body will be able to- 

 undertake so desirable a modification of their forests. Hence it is- 

 only the forests of the State that we shall chiefly have in view in 

 considering the question of the conversion of copses into high 

 forests. 



If it is the duty of the State to convert its copses, Ave consider 

 that it is advisable to take up this work progressivelv, and not to 

 attempt it except in such forests as offer the necessary resources 

 for its success. To establish our position we have only to remind 

 tl)e student that the object of every conversion is to get rid of actual 

 stool-crops by Jiaving recourse to natural reproduction or to artifi- 

 cial planting and sowing. Now the conversion of a copse into a 

 high forest is an operation so full of risks and uncertainty, besides 

 being difficult and exiiensive, that it is much better to abandon ai\ 

 idea of attempting it than to undertake it without having tlie 



