Periodical Literature 383 



An unusual specimen of Carpinus betii- 



Large his is found near Liestal in Switzerland, 



Trees standing in a pine forest, lately severely 



culled or cut. The height is nearly 60 feet, 



with a clear bole of only 10 feet, where three stout branches 



start, the diameter breast high about 3 feet (3 w circumference). 



The tree is sound and fully crowned. An illustration is given. 



Schweizerische Zeitschrift fiir Forstwesen, March to April, 1915, p. 69. 



SOIL, WATER AND CLIMATE 



As a result of an extensive study Bauer 



Utilization discusses at great length the varying ability 



of and the method of using the chemical con- 



Chemical stituents of the soil by different individuals 



Soil Factors and species. The literature on the subject 



and its historical development is fully 



utilized. 



Referring to Mitscherlich's showing that since a certain amount 

 of energy is spent in root development, the larger the root system 

 the less volume above ground is formed, he furnishes examples 

 of two-year-old beech, in which by weight the roots represent 

 from 52 to 74 per cent of the total. 



A table is given, which demonstrates the correctness of the 

 corollary that ceteris paribus that species must be the more frugal 

 which has the ability to absorb the largest amount of nutrients 

 per grain of root volume. The series: pine, larch, spruce, elm, 

 beech, oak, corresponds to the generally accepted one in practice. 

 The plant on the poorer site reacts by a relatively increased root 

 development. The well-known frugality of pine resolves itself 

 to the capacity to exploit a large body of ground for water and 

 nutrients, where spruce and fir die from thirst and hunger. 



The utilization of the chemical constituents of the soil is con- 

 ditioned by at least three moments, namely, dififerently graduated 

 osmotic processes, different root development, and different root 

 activity. The time element or periodicity in providing and ab- 

 sorbing nutrients was made a particular study, the results of 

 which show that with young forest trees at least — and probably 

 it is typical for older plants — requirements vary in time. "If 



