PLAN FOR BLACKMOOR, BKADSHOTT, AND TEMPLE WOODS. 211 



species requires assistance in the individual struggle for light and 

 growing-space. 



If this can be arranged for, it would, in my opinion, be a very 

 advantageous and a remunerative operation to go over the coppice- 

 woods during the third year after the fall, for the purpose of clean- 

 ing them of all weeds (including the softwoods, birch, aspen, willow) 

 interfering with hardwoods, and of thinning out the number of 

 shoots springing from the stools. If this latter operation be not 

 carried out, then the energy of growth often becomes dissipated 

 over about six to ten shoots in place of being concentrated on the 

 more rapid development of from two or three to five or six of the 

 more vigorous stool-shoots. 



(c) As regards the Plantations. — As these young crops are most 

 of them showing the disadvantages arising from their having been 

 formed at too great distances between the individual plants (up to 

 6 feet by 6 feet), the best thing to be done for the next few years 

 is to avoid disturbing the canopy now formed, or still in process 

 of formation, and to limit operations to the removal of dead 

 branches and snags, and the cutting out of suppressed or badly 

 diseased poles. Remunerative thinnings may be commenced in 

 about four or five years' time, and continued regularly thereafter at 

 intervals of about five years. Some of the plantations may then 

 be partially cleared and a new crop raised beneath, the best trees 

 being retained as standards to thicken into specially remunerative 

 dimensions. 



Where Scots and Corsican pine have been grown together, the 

 latter seems to develop more vigorously and to attain the larger 

 dimensions. It should consequently receive the preference in all 

 future plantations on the sandy pine soils throughout the eastern 

 portion of the estate. 



Experiments should be made as early as convenient (see Field 

 Book, Wolmer Plantation, IV. f) with the sowing of Corsican pine 

 on prepared patches. If this operation prove successful, as may 

 reasonably be expected, it will show that young plantations can be 

 raised without wire-fencing against rabbits, and will thus enable 

 operations in this direction to be extended on a larger scale and at 

 much less cost than the plantations which have been formed in the 

 past. 



Cost oj Planting and Distances between Plants. — Recent planta- 

 tions have been made at 4 feet by 4 feet, and have cost about £8 

 an acre, including fencing against rabbits. Although costing more, 



