126 English Timber and Underwood. 



a proper demand and price for our large supplies of this timber. 

 There are few rapid growing trees whose timber seems suitable 

 for so many purposes and which has such special qualities as 

 the timber of black Italian poplar. The small lots that have 

 been marketed in the past form little guide to its value with 

 proper supplies of the timber available. The Cricket-bat 

 willow has realised extraordinary prices during the past few 

 years, and it is too much to hope that these will continue. 

 It offers, however, other attractions for an early retuni in 

 selected situations, owing to its wonderful vigour of growth 

 and quality of its timber. A great advantage of both black 

 Italian poplar and Cricket-bat willow for growing in pastures, 

 or even in hedgerows, is that, thanks to their erect habits and 

 light canopy, little damage is done by their shade to either 

 crop or hedge underneath. 



The delusion is so widespread that clear-felling a wood in 

 large squares is the only method of reproducing high forest, 

 that it seems important to refer briefly to the different systems 

 of production. There are three principal systems under which 

 high forest is reproduced — (1) The selection system, where 

 single trees distributed over an area are selected and felled 

 periodically. (2) The group system, which is an expansion of 

 the selection, inasmuch as, instead of one tree, several trees are 

 felled in the same spot, and the wood is reproduced in groups. 

 (3) The compartment system, where an area is either clear- 

 felled and re-planted, or a system of natural regeneration 

 instituted. Each system has its limitations, and is applicable 

 to different varieties of trees and conditions, and often in estate 

 forestry any system has to be adapted to meet special circum- 

 stances. 



The advantages of natural reproduction are so generally 

 overlooked, especially with our oak, ash, and other indigenous 

 trees, and much greater attention should be given to this in 

 the future. The increase in the number of rabbits has had 

 a very detrimental effect on natural reproduction, and few 

 people realise the damage which these animals inflict on the 

 woods until an area has been surrounded by wire netting. 



A common fallacy as to planting is that no return is secured 

 before sixty years. This may be true of oak and some trees, 

 but there are other trees and systems of forestry from which 

 an early return can be obtained. Omitting coppice and pioduce 

 of a like nature, the quickest return at present from any tree 

 is probably that from Cricket-bat willow ; but this, of course, 

 has its special limitations. Douglas fir also brings a large 

 return on a short rotation, as can be seen in many places. Ash, 

 larch and Spanish chestnut all have their advantages for an 

 early return. Several other trees, some of recent introduction, 



