4 



If we suppose that, as in fig. No. 1, the growths of the crops of diflferent ages 

 are represented to scale on the vertical line, and the areas occupied by each crop on 

 the horizontal line, the arrangement of the crops might be graphically represented as 

 there shown. It is evident ihat, with a forest so constituted, there could be felled 

 each year a crop 20 years old, one acre in extent, and that the felling might be repeated 

 year after year. There would always he on the ground, immediately before a felling ' 

 in a given year, a series of crops from 1 to iO years old — in fact the same wood 

 capital. 



If, instead of this regularity, some of the age-classes were missing — if, we will 

 suppose, there were no crops of from 10 to 18 years of age — it is evident that, 2 years 

 after the commencement of operations, the oldest crop would be 12 years old, and it 

 would be necessary either to fell trees of that age or wait for 8 years until the oldest 

 crop was aged 20 years. In this case, which is graphically represented in fig. 

 No. 2, the wood capital or stock is insufficient and is irregularly constituted, some of 

 tlie age-classes being absent while others are in excess. Such irregularity in the con- 

 stitution of the capital will very IVequontly be met with, and is, indeed, the rule rather 

 than the exception in Indian forests. 



Constitution of the stock when the age-classes are irregularly 

 distributed. — We have hitherto assumed that the crops of 

 different ages have been arranged in groups, following one 

 another in regular succession, as is generally seen in the case 

 of coppiced forests. If, however, the growths of different 

 ages were scattered about in patches, the capital would still 

 be the same, and it would still be true that, in order to fell 

 every year an acre of forest 20 years old, there must exist on 

 the ground a complete scale of growths, each covering one 

 acre and aged from 1 to 20 years. 



Carrying the irregularity of distribution still further we 

 arrive at the condition of a forest such as the selection method 

 of working leads to. The different age-classes are so inter- 

 mingled that the trees overtop one another, and we practi- 

 cally find stems of all ages on any and every area of appre- 

 ciable size. We cannot measure the area occupied by each 

 class ; but we know by analogy that the classes must exist in 

 regular gradation of ages if the forest is to furnish uninter- 

 ruptedly its full yield. 



Information afforded by the number of trees of each age-class.— 

 As regards the number of trees in the capital or stock of a 

 forest, it need hardly be explained that, although the areas 

 occupied by each age-class may be equal, the number of 

 trees m each age-class are very far from being the same. 

 There are infinitely more stems in a young crop, if complete, 

 than m an older crop occupying the same area but contain- 

 ing trees with large crowns. 



In fact, if we were actually to count the stems, from the seedling to the mature 

 tree, on each acre in a perfectly regular forest such as that shown in fig. 1, the 

 result, we may suppose by way of illustration, would be something as foUowsf though 



