1006 JOURNAI. OF FORESTRY 



One of the prize plantations in class 3 is owned by the Birmingham 

 Corporation. It has an area of 79 acres and consists almost entirely of 

 European larch, with Scotch pine on the higher elevations, one and two 

 year seedlings were used in planting. They were set 14 years ago at a 

 spacing of four feet by notching. The cost of planting and upkeep for 

 the first two years was i4 Is. 2d. per acre, or approximately $20. The 

 stand, although on rather poor, thin soil, on slopes varying from steep 

 to very steep, is in excellent condition and growing well. It is noted that 

 a small experimental block of Japanese larch have made more rapid 

 growth than the native species. The best trees have attained a height of 

 22 feet and a breast height diameter of 5 inches ; the crop has closed, 

 the surface vegetation has disappeared, and the present annual height 

 growth is two feet or more. On the other hand, the best of the native 

 larch has attained a height of 18 feet and a diameter of 4 inches. The 

 canopy is not as yet complete. About one tree in four is tending to 

 become dominant at the expense of the others. The Japanese species 

 appears to be freer from disease than the native larch. 



It is noted that the same corporation has flourishing young planta- 

 tions of Douglas fir and Sitka spruce as well as of Scotch pine and 

 Corsican pine. The Douglas fir was in particular making splendid 

 growth on sheltered rocky slopes. 



One of the better plantations described under class 4 consisted of 40 

 acres of pure European larch, 35 years of age, situated on a very steep 

 slope, facing west to northwest, with a very thin, light, loamy soil. This 

 area was previously covered with scrub hardwood oi little value, and 

 the present stand is cited as a splendid example of the possibilities of 

 converting hundreds of acres of similar scrub into valuable coniferous 

 stands. The present crop on the better part of the plantation consists 

 of 520 trees to the acre, having a volume of 3,600 cubic feet of wood. 

 On the higher, more exposed areas the yield is much less. This planta- 

 tion was given the gold medal of the society, not because of the high 

 yield, but because it was considered the best example of silvicultural 

 management. 



The best example under class 5, showing silvicultural management 

 of existing woodland, was an area of from 200 to 300 acres on a grav- 

 elly soil of overlying sandstone and coal measures. The former un- 

 profitable crop was oak copice with thinly scattered larch and pine 

 standards. Ten years ago the management undertook its systematic 

 conversion into conifers. At that time 70 acres of the area was clear 

 cut and planted with Douglas fir, black spruce, and European larch. 



