SOME ASPECTS OF THE EXCURSION TO GERMANY. 169 
of handfuls of prepared soil, which is pressed firmly down. The 
ordinary soil is then drawn round the neck of the plant, and the 
whole firmed by a pressure of the foot. The prepared soil just 
referred to consists of a mixture of humus soil and the ashes of 
sods burned at a low temperature, and this is deposited in heaps, 
until required, at various intervals all over the ground. 
Although it was expected that something phenomenal in the 
way of timber-growing would be seen, no little surprise was felt 
at the magnificent, tall, clean-grown, and full-wooded stuff that 
was everywhere invariably met with; not on the whole of great 
diameter, but of fine commercial quality. The taper on each 
bole, whether of hardwood, pine, or spruce, was slight, and the 
texture of the coniferous timber, owing to the equal and dense 
character of the annual growths, testified to its quality. The 
hardwoods, e.g., oak, such as could be examined, were pethaps not 
so dense or tough in texture as those grown in open situations in 
this country, but very similar to what is imported from abroad. 
Beech, however, after thinning had taken place, showed fairly 
broad and equal rings, such as go, among hardwoods, to make 
timber of the best quality. he appearance of the ash, when 
growing, led one to form a similar opinion regarding it. 
The sylvicultural principles, and the systems of management 
obtaining in the districts which were visited, are typical, it was 
understood, of those practised throughout Germany, and might, 
with modifications, be advantageously adopted in this country. 
Indeed, it may be said that until proprietors and others lay down 
systematic working plans, based on similar sylvicultural principles 
and methods of working, for the management of their woodlands, 
the results will, as by the past and present haphazard methods, 
be anything but encouraging or satisfactory. There are certainly 
drawbacks existing here, affecting financial results, which do not 
obtain in Germany, but these are within control and can easily be 
removed. That being so, there is no reason, so far as soil and 
climate are concerned, why timber of as good quality, and with 
equal results financially, should not be grown here as on the 
Continent. 
The most important consideration in the formation of woodland 
crops is the selection of species that will produce a maximum of 
timber of the best quality. A soil that may be of the first quality 
in a particular situation fcr one species, may prove only of a second 
or third quality for a different one. For example, a soil of the 
