IN THE BEECHWOODS 145 
shoots of beech and other trees should be cut out, 
as well as suckers of aspen and self-sown birch. 
During the early thinnings the softwoods then 
found should be removed along with the sup- 
pressed poles among the main crop. The 
thinnings should be moderate, but repeated at 
intervals of about four or five years; and as the 
crop advances in age, the use of the axe should 
be somewhat anticipatory, to assist nature in 
determining the selection of the dominant and 
predominating stems. This is more particularly 
the case on poor, dry patches of soil, where the 
struggle for existence is longer and less decisive 
than on more favourable situations. 
The result of such regeneration is that, when 
total clearance of the old trees has been effected, 
the young crop of beech is scattered over the 
area in larger or smaller patches of different 
height, and differing also somewhat in age. It 
is, therefore, usually not until about its tenth 
year that the young crop closes up and forms 
canopy. The further growth is then rapid, dense 
thicket being formed, much thicker than results 
from the treatment hitherto practised in England. 
Throughout this early stage of development the 
K 
