CHAPTEE II. 



CULTURAL OPERATIONS IN CONVERSIONS. 



It is especially easy to study, plaa out, and establish the orga- 

 nisation of a foreat with a view to its conversion ; in revenge, there 

 is nothing which requires more care, foresight and savoir faire ou 

 the part of the officers charged with its execution. A few general 

 observations, therefore, seem to be called for on this subject With- 

 out them it will be impossible to understand thoroughly the con- 

 ditions which underlie the drawing up, as well as the execution, of 

 Organisation Projects for the conversion of copses into high forest. 



In a copse containing within itself all the elements necessary 

 for its conversion into high forest by means of self-sown seedlings, 

 the cultural operations required for effecting its conversion consist 

 as a rule of Preparatory Cuttings, of Regeneration Fellings, an 1 

 of Compound Coppice exploitations. What are the points to be 

 specially attended to in making these several fellings ? We pro- 

 ceed to answer this question below. 



SECTION 1. 

 The Peeparatort Cuttings. 



The object of the Preparatory Cuttings, as their name indicates, 

 is to prepare the crops composing the Block concerned for conyer- 

 eion, that is to say, for natural reproduction by seed by means of 

 the ordinary High Forest Regeneration Fellings. This preparation 

 itself consists in letting the copse grow on until it becomes fertile, 

 and in favouring its growth by means of judiciously executed Clean- 

 ings and Thinnings. It is especially these Thinnings that have re- 

 ceived the designation of Preparatory Cuttings. 



