Development of Silviculture. 55 
and in Prussia (1764) to pine. And this marginal 
seeding method remained for a long time the favorite 
method for the conifers. 
To avoid long strips and distribute the fellings more 
conveniently, v. Berlepsch (in Kassel) recommended (in 
1760) the cutting in echelons (curtain method, Koul- 
issenhieb), which insured better seeding, but increased 
danger from windfall and was never much practiced, 
the disadvantages of the method being shown up espe- 
cially in the Prussian Forest Order of 1788. 
In the first half of the 18th century it was recognized 
that the wind danger would be considerably reduced by 
making the fellings progress from Hast or Northeast to 
West; the conception of a regular properly located fell- 
ing series being first elaborated in 1745 by von Langen 
in the Harz mountains, who also accentuated the neces- 
sity of preserving a wind mantle on exposed situations. 
Both of these propositions reappear in the Prussian 
Order of 1780, according to which the fellings are to 
proceed in a breadth of twenty to thirty-five rods from 
East to West. 
The application of a nursetree method for conifers 
was proposed in 1787 by v. Burgsdorf (Prussia), a dark 
position (Dunkelschlag) and a regeneration period of 
seven years being advocated. 
In broadleaved forest, besides the selection forest, the 
natural result of the sprouting capacity of the hardwood 
had Jed to a coppice method which was extensively relied 
upon for fuel production. This was rarely, however, a 
simple coppice, for intentionally or unintentionally some 
seedlings or sprouts would be allowed to grow on, leading 
to a composite forest and finally to a regular coppice 
