WOODS OF THE NOVAR ESTATE. 57 



of the prevalence of larch disease, and of the condition to 

 which some of the young woods have been reduced by it, the 

 question arises whether these woods should be under-stocked at 

 an earlier age. No general rule can be laid down ; but it is 

 certainly desirable, especially where the disease is most prevalent, 

 to commence at once, in the older of the young larch woods, the 

 cutting out of those stems which from the effects of disease or other 

 causes are evidently incapable of competing any longer with their 

 more successful neighbours. Such a thinning may do good. 

 Where it results in a cover thin enough for the introduction of 

 an under-crop, such a crop may be established by planting or by 

 sowing; but under other conditions the process of under-stocking 

 may be postponed until the usual time, as above indicated. At 

 the time of under-stocking, all but the most healthy and vigorous 

 of the young trees will be removed, and these latter will be allowed 

 to grow on to full dimensions, standing over the under-crop, which 

 will promote their development. It has been said at p. 34, that 

 where the disease is less prevalent, infested young trees should be 

 removed ; but this will not, as a rule, involve such a thinning 

 as would lead to early under-planting. 



Crops which are now to be raised of oak, ash, sycamore and 

 other hardwoods, giving light or moderate shade, will usually, 

 between about the twentieth and the fortieth year of their age, 

 be under-sown with beech. 



From what has been said above, it will be seen that the details 

 of work in connection with the thinning and under-stocking of 

 the younger woods during the next twenty-five years cannot now 

 be laid down. On the expiry of that period, the oldest of the 

 young Scots fir woods will be only forty-two years of age ; and 

 should under-stocking before the fortieth year prove unnecessary, 

 only three woods, covering 272 acres, will have to be so ti'eated 

 within the time named. But should it become desirable to under- 

 stock at thirty years of age, the area to be so dealt with under 

 the present Plan would be raised to 1341 acres. Each wood 

 must be dealt with on its own merits, and no general rule can be 

 laid down. But the whole of the existing young larch woods, 

 covering 195 acres, will probably have to be under-stocked 

 within the next twenty-five years, and similar treatment may 

 perhaps be applied to a portion of the new hardwoods. It is not 

 thought desirable to under-stock any of the existing older Scots 

 fir or larch woods. 



VOL. XVI. PART I. E 



