--- src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/XSSFSheet.java	(revision 1661935)
+++ src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/XSSFSheet.java	(working copy)
@@ -2575,6 +2575,9 @@ 
         for (Iterator<Row> it = rowIterator() ; it.hasNext() ; ) {
             XSSFRow row = (XSSFRow)it.next();
             int rownum = row.getRowNum();
+		
+	     if(n>0 & rownum < startRow)  continue;
+	     if(n<0 & rownum < startRow+n) continue;		    
 
             if(sheetComments != null){
                 //TODO shift Note's anchor in the associated /xl/drawing/vmlDrawings#.vml