igS ENGLISH ESTATE FORESTRY 



on the following lines : — A general survey should be made 

 of the soils and situations of the woodland area, and the 

 suitability or otherwise of the existing crops and sylvicultural 

 systems for these situations noted. If changes are desirable 

 on sylvicultural grounds, the effect of such changes should 

 be considered with regard to the local timber market, as 

 influenced by the demand for a particular class of timber. 

 This having been done, the formation of one or more working 

 circles can then be decided upon, according to the most 

 important variations of the ground. Each working circle 

 can then be dealt with separately, and a policy decided 

 upon with respect to it. If of considerable extent, an 

 endeavour should be made to divide it into units or compart- 

 ments of a convenient size for clearing and replanting when 

 the time comes. Should the working circle be of small area, 

 it may be treated as a unit in itself, or divided into two or 

 three as convenient. The great thing, in our opinion, is to 

 make these compartments as compact and convenient in size 

 as possible for replanting, and avoid strips and areas with too 

 many points and projections, and arrange for one or two of 

 their sides to follow a necessary ride or road. The importance 

 of this can be seen when the use of wire netting is imperative, 

 for the same principle holds good in this as in ordinary 

 fencing of ground, and the larger and more compact the area 

 the smaller the expense per acre. No unit should be less 

 than five acres, or more than twenty in extent, however 

 small or large the area of the working circle, or the expense 

 of netting becomes a serious item in the cost of replanting, 

 or it will prove ineffectual. 



These units or compartments having been laid out in the 

 most convenient manner, the working circle can then be dealt 

 with according to the condition of the existing crops and the 

 state of the timber market. If the greater part of the ground 

 is stocked with thin and over-mature timber, it is a question 

 for the owner to decide approximately how many years shall 

 be occupied in clearing it ; and this point being settled, the 

 number of compartments or fractions of them to be cut 

 annually or periodically can be fixed accordingly. If annual 

 fellings are desirable and the number of years over which 

 clearing is to extend exceeds the number of compartments, 



