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FORESTRY IN ITALY. 



TITLE III. 

 RULES FOR COPPICE WOODS [bOSCHI CEDUI] — THE CUTTING DOWN OF TREES. 



Art. 17. Trees must be cut down close to the ground and with an obhque section, so that 

 the surface of the stump is quite smooth and allows the water to run off freely. 



Art. 18. The season for the cutting of these woods, like that prescribed for large timber, 

 is from the beginning of the autumn to the end of winter, so that, without losing sap, vigorous 

 and robust shoots may be obtained. 



Art. 19. The number of trees reserved for propagation and for replacing decayed stumps 

 is fifty to the hectare. These cannot be cut down until the third rotation; that is, at the third 

 fall of timber from the time in which they were spared as above, during which time an equal 

 number of new ones must be ready to take their place. The trees thus chosen for propaga- 

 tion must be the finest plants, of at least 24 years old, if possible seedlings, and equidistant from 

 each other. If there is not a sufBcient number of seedings for the purpose, the number may 

 be made up froni those which spring from stumps, if they are fit for the purpose. 



Art. 20. The custom introduced into this province of cleaning such woods has been 

 maintained. It must be carried out not before" the third year after the cutting of the trees and 

 must be limited to the expurgation of plants that are herbacious, frutiferous or subfrutiferous. 



Art. 21. The custom has also been maintained of performing tlie thinning operation on 

 the stumps in these woods twice before the final cutting; this must be done secundum artem and 

 according to the principles of woodcraft, without clearing the plants which have sprung from 

 the same stumps, except that at the second thinning before the final cutting the under branches 

 may be cut ; that is, those that spring below the principal boughs on those plants which remain 

 for the final cutting. 



Art. 22. The same rules for catting these copses and for getting rid of the wood tlience 

 resulting are to be observed as those indicated for woods of large timber. 



PASTURE IN COPPICE WOODS. 



Art. 23. The same rules as are contained in articles 7 and 8 are to be observed. 



TITLE IV. 

 OF CHARCOAL PITS AND PREPARATION OF POTASH bOTH IN COPPICES AND WOODS OF 



LARGE TIMBER. 



Art. 24. Carbon pits may be formed in these woods in those parts subjected to cutting 

 and on the old flats already fonned there, and new ones may only be formed when there is 

 insufficiency of the old, always choosing by preference the spaces least occupied by trunks 

 and repeating the charcoal burning as much as possible on the same ground. 



On beginning to put in action any of these charcoal pits the land must be broken up for a 

 space of two or three meters round and with u palisading on the side toward which the 

 principal winds blow. The owner is responsible for any damage that the trees may suffer. 

 These pits must be set to work immediately after the cutting of trees and the process of char- 

 coal burning must be finished and all cleared away by the rhonth of June next following. 



Art. 25. For the preparation of potash the same precautions must be taken as for charcoal 

 pits when the operation is carried on in an open place. When the work is done in pits, 

 these must be filled up with earth and their spaces refurnished by -sowing or planting trees 

 within six months. Failing in this, the owner will be liable to legal penalties. 



Art. 26. The clearing away of charcoal or of all other ligneous material must be effected 

 by the roads or paths already existing, avoiding those places which have been previously cut 

 or lopped. When it is actually necessary to make new roads for this purpose, care should be 

 taken to cause the least possible injury. In this case, the owner is obliged after the clearance to 

 replace the ground so used in its primitive condition by planting and sowing; failing in which, 

 he may be proceeded against at his own expense as for improper destruction of trees, unless 

 he make a declaration of desiring to retain the new roads for the convenience of future cutting, 

 and this be approved by the forest committee. 



