SHELTERWOOD FOR SPRUCE 81 



windfalls of 1902 the conservator favored a return to an irregular selec- 

 tion instead of the shelterwood system. The selection preferred is one 

 regulated by volume and by area. In the fir forest of Noir^mont (Jm-a) 

 the seed felUng removes practically two-fifths of the volume, the two 

 secondary feUings one-fifth each, and the final fellings one-fifth. After 

 the final felling in this forest there were openings 33 feet across where the 

 parent trees had been cut. Here the openings were being planted up. 

 The improvement felHngs in this forest, regulated by area, remove the 

 badly suppressed trees, badly formed trees, those dry topped, and the so- 

 called "wolf" trees. But even under the favorable conditions existing 

 the shelterwood system may be abandoned. In the forest of Risol they 

 have a rule of cutting not more than 100 cubic meters per hectare at one 

 time. According to the ranger's records : 



"Cultural operations should always be directed with the aim of developing as much 

 as possible the growth of existing stands without sacrificing anything for regularization. 

 The ripe trees should always be removed when encountered in the fellings, but on condi- 

 tion that their retention is not considered necessary for reproduction." 



In the sapUng stands the dominant beech is almost invariably cut. In 

 the pole stands the suppressed and damaged trees are removed, and in the 

 high pole stands quite heavy thinnings in the top story are begun. All 

 beech not needed for reproduction is removed. 



Shelterwood for Spruce. — While the spruce is not essentially a 

 tolerant species like the fir, yet it is not exactly a light-demanding species 

 hke the oak; it does not grow while under direct cover, and while it wiU 

 come in naturally on pastures, some side cover is desirable on account of 

 its demanding fresh soil. It is deeper rooted than the fir and more 

 difficult to secure. The seed of the fir is quite heavy, is of average size, 

 and cannot be carried great distances. On the other hand, most of the 

 cones are at the top of the tree; they open, not because of the heat, but 

 because of the moisture at the end of the September rains. The spruce 

 cones, to the contrary, are lower down on the tree and most of them are 

 found at the ends of the branches; they open under the influence of heat, 

 especially when the dry east wind is blowing, so that the seed may be 

 carried some distance from the tree. Moreover, the spruce seed does not 

 germinate well under the immediate cover of the mother tree nor do the 

 seedlings germinate successfully on dry needles, therefore the best condi- 

 tions for the germination of spruce seedUngs are openings in the mature 

 stands, exposed to the full sunlight, and where the mineral soil is at least 

 partially bared. In theory, at least, the shelterwood method of pro- 

 gressive feUings is appUcable to this species, but unfortunately there are 

 difficulties. The tree is subject to windfall on account of its superficial 

 root system and the heavy foHage. It is therefore necessary to make the 



