486 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



across the ocean. Black and white spruce was planted in 1700, white 

 pine in 1705, red oak in 1740, and now nearly all American species 

 are represented, at least in parks. 



For forestry purposes, red oak, white pine, and Douglas fir take 

 fir^t rank. Red oak, recommended for its rapid growth, good wood 

 and resistance to disease, has now the widest distribution of any 

 American hardwood; a plantation of 450 acres from 1 to 90 years 

 of age, in Baden, is mentioned. 



A white pine plantation of Trippstadt, Bavaria, and started in 

 1794, among which specimens of 25 to 35- inches are found in thrifty 

 condition. A 140-acre tract, in the city forest of Heidelberg, is planted 

 to white pine, ranging from 2 to 65 years of age. A sample plot in 

 this stand, established in 1888, using 2,750 two-year-old seedlings per 

 acre, had in 20 years from planting reached an average height of 26.5 

 feet and a volume of 53 cords — an annual increment of 2.4 cords per 

 acre! And in the last five years the rate had been 3.8 cords. 



Douglas fir, not introduced until 1827, has shown itself the most 

 desirable of all species so far as experience has gone. Espcially in 

 height growth it excels all German conifers ; it may in eighteen years 

 attain a height of 56 feet, and in 53 years of 83 feet. 



A mixed stand of Douglas fir and Norway spruce was planted 

 with three-year-olds of fir and two-year-olds of spruce, spaced four 

 feet, at a cost of $4.56 per acre. In sixteen years it had made 34 cords 

 of fir and 7 cords of spruce. Five years later the fir measured 43 

 cords, the spruce only 6^, being crowded out. The height of the two 

 species then was 45 and 32 feet, respectively. The ready recovery 

 from damage due to manv adventitious buds is also mentioned. 



B. E. F. 



American Trees in Germany. Forest Leaves, December, 1916, pp. 184-5. 



A valuable contribution by E. Mer in regard 



Optima to the most satisfactory degree of thinning is of 



of interest to us, more by the manner of using the 



Thinnings data than for the data themselves. The careful 



analysis of the data brings out strikingly the fact 



that the results of thinning practice are complicated and according to 



the point of view of varying import. The study is also of interest as 



coming from a French source. The French have not practiced thin- 



