220 Plantations and Home Nurseries Competition, 1912. 



in the production of cleaner timber, we think that, on the 

 whole, it is an operation to be commended, although when the 

 cost is compared with the advantages gained it may be a little 

 doubtful whether it is a profitable operation. 



We had several opportunities of comparing the relative 

 growth of Scots and Corsican pines, and on several occasions — 

 notably at Owston and Ronscliffe — the latter variety at the age 

 of twenty or thirty years was by far the stronger and more 

 hopeful species. We are, of course, aware of the higher death- 

 rate that attends the planting of Corsican pines, but on strong 

 land and at higher altitudes it would appear to be desirable to 

 give more attention to this species. 



Three plantations of Japanese larch were brought to our 

 notice situated at altitudes between 700 and 900 feet, and in 

 the case of these Avoods the common larch of the same age was 

 growing alongside under similar conditions. We had thus an 

 excellent opportunity of revising our opinion of the respective 

 merits of these two species of larch, and we are bound to say 

 that the high estimation in which we have hitherto held the 

 Japanese species has been thoroughly confirmed. The Japanese 

 larch seems to get established more quickly after planting and 

 to take the lead of the other from the first, so that at the age of 

 ten years it is usually about two feet higher than the common 

 larch, the respective heights at that age l)eing about 18 and 

 16 ft. The death-rate, too, amongst recently set-out plants is 

 somewhat lower for the Japanese larch. While we saw many 

 instances of disease on the common larch we did not find a 

 single example on the Japanese larch growing under precisely 

 similar conditions. That the fungus causing the disease lives 

 on the dead branches of the Japanese larch is a matter of 

 common observation, but it is extraordinarily rare to find the 

 fungus growing parasitically on a living part of this species. 

 Mixed plantations of the two species are knoAvn to the writers 

 where practically everj^ stem of the common larch shows a 

 blister, whereas not a single canker spot is to be found upon 

 the stems of Japanese larch equally intermixed over the area 

 with the other species. There is no doubt that the Japanese 

 larch produces stronger and longer branches than the other, 

 and consequently it encroaches more upon other trees with 

 which it may be associated, and unless the plantation is kept 

 somewhat denser the stems on the whole are somewhat coarser. 

 But just because the Japanese larch produces a greater mass of 

 branches it more completely shades the ground, and in a shorter 

 period produces a dense covering of humus over the surface of 

 the soil. In the woods of Japanese larch ten years of age 

 ground vegetation had been so completely suppressed by the 

 dense shade, and the surface of the ground was so closely 



