50 METHODS OF TREATMENT [CH. 



one that is culturally in the best condition for the purpose, and 

 carry out a few thinnings and minor cultural operations in it 

 at intervals of eight or ten years while it grows older, and in the 

 other four blocks we shall continue the coppice treatment. In 

 the second period of thirty-five years, the regeneration of our 

 first block will be started, a second block will be selected for 

 submission to the waiting period, and coppice fellings will con- 

 tinue in the other three blocks. In the third period tending 

 operations, cleanings and thinnings wiU be carried out in 

 the now converted BlDck I, regeneration fellings will be 

 taken through Block II, preparatory operations during the 

 waiting period in Block III, and coppice feUings in Blocks IV 

 and V. 



There are thus four different kinds of operations going on now, 

 and the whole process of conversion is going to take 210 years. 

 This is the general scheme. Our working-plan, however, will 

 only deal in detail with one period of thirty-five years. It is 

 unnecessary here to discuss the nature of these four different 

 kinds of operations, which are described in any book on silvi- 

 culture. In the preparatory period they wiU consist principally in 

 thinning out the coppice poles, so as to give the best of them 

 more space to spread in. The regeneration feUings, and the subse- 

 quent tending operations in the coverted part of the area, will 

 be similar to, if not identical with, such operations as commonly 

 carried out in even-aged high-forest. The temporary coppice 

 fellings continued in the later part of the area will be ordinary 

 coppice fellings, but the rotation should be a long one, and in 

 any case new coppice coupes wiU have to be laid out at the 

 beginning of each period, as the area under coppice is gradually 

 being reduced. Only in the case of the last coppice felling before 

 a coppice area is brought under ttie waiting period, should the 

 largest possible number of standards be reserved. 



The above example shows an outline of the method to be 

 followed in a plan of this sort, the general working scheme for 

 the whole business, and the special plan for the period on which 

 we are entering. The whole thing can be managed on a basis 

 of area, even the regeneration (or conversion) feUings, unless 

 natural regeneration is difficult, in which case the fellings can 



