Part IV.] Caccia: Selection method of treatvient in India. 323 
arguments in favour of such a scheme have been very fully set forth 
in various ai’ticles published, in the “ Indian h'orester,” {vide 
Volume XXXIII, page 224; XXXIII, 282; XXXIII, 3GG; 
XXXIII, 422). 
Though the method of fixing the possibility herein dealt with 
has been termed the method hy area, in that the annual selection 
fellings are invariably confined to a portion of the whole forest, yet 
it would perhaps be more correct to describe it as a method by cul- 
tural rules limited by prescribing the minimum girth or diameter of 
the trees to be felled. 
In its normal form, the forest having been divided into a con- 
venient number of felling areas, in the manner previously described, 
one coupe would be worked over annually, the amount of material 
io be removed being limited by cultural rules, and by restricting the 
fellings to the removal, here and there within the coupe of the year, 
according to the principles of the selection method, of such trees as 
are over-mature or are above a certain girth.* 
Bearing in mind the cases in which the fellings may properly bo 
regulated by the method of areas, it is obvious that the procedure 
will very greatly differ according to the intensity of the demand on 
the forests. Thus, where the demand is fluctuating and at all times 
insignificant and far below the real possibility of the forest, it is 
evidently unnecessary to fix the limits of the annual coupes; and 
fellings of mature trees may be permitted in any convenient por- 
tion of the forest. On the other hand, when there is a demand ior 
a fixed yield, the annual coupes would be made proportionate to their 
yield capacity, and the number of these would, if possible, corres- 
pond to the number of years taken for the crop to pass through one 
girth class. In addition a rough estimate of the crop could also be 
made. Between these two limits, intermediate stages will naturally 
occur in which the stocking is poor (particularly as regards the 
* “ But the method enforced in the manner explained above is attended rvitli 
“• the drawback that there is no means, other than by personal inspection, of check - 
“ ing its correct application. The only extraneous control that can be exercised 
“ over its application is with regard to the area exploited ; and all the prescriptions 
“ on this subject might be rigidly adhered to while the far more important cultural 
“ rules were being misapplied by unintelligent or unsci upulous subordinate officials. 
“ Hence, where possible, it is always preferable to determine the quantity of 
“ material that may annually or periodically be removed with safety, and to limit 
“ the fellings to this maximum quantity while subordinating them to cultural 
“ rules.” — D’Arcy’s Preparation of Forest Working Plans in India, 3rd Edition, 
page 83. 
