A VISIT TO GERMAN FORESTS. 441 



stiff clay is no doubt chemically rich, but its physical qualities are 

 so bad that the unsightly heaps were likely to remain barren, had 

 not the alder succeeded in establishing itself. After forty years 

 the alder will be felled, when it is hoped that, through the action 

 of the tree roots and leaf-mould, the soil will be so far ameliorated 

 that species yielding better timber may be grown. Alder finds 

 quite a good market, however, in the neighbouring fish-curing 

 works at Kiel. 



One does not think of Schleswig-Holstein in connection with 

 typical German forests ; collectively the woodlands are small, and 

 they occur in scattered plantations of inconsiderable size. But that 

 only makes the resemblance to British conditions all the closer ; and 

 one can see clearly that for profitable forestry it is not necessary 

 that individual forests should be of great extent. 



The formation of woods upon peat-land is reduced to a science in 

 Schleswig-Holstein ; but it is pretty evident that where the peat is 

 deeper than about 3 feet the bog is better left as such. Agri- 

 culture, however, has reclaimed much deep bog-land through a 

 patient process of treatment that extends over many years. To the 

 south of the province, and not far west from Hamburg, is the best 

 wooded part of Schleswig-Holstein. 



Much of the land in Schleswig-Holstein, as in other parts of 

 Germany, is in the hands of peasant proprietors. Where woods 

 exist on these lands, they are under the supervision of the State 

 only to the extent of seeing that the area under trees is not allowed 

 to be decreased ; what is felled must be made good by the planting 

 of a like area. 



The work of planting is often done on these small holdings by 

 " notching in " conifers in the manner which is common in Scotland. 

 For the first two years or so but little difference is seen between 

 plants thus inserted and those which have had pits dug for them ; 

 later, however, the contrast is very marked : the plants which have 

 been placed in pits, and which have had the benefit of some cultiva- 

 tion, shoot away much more vigorously, and form better young 

 trees. Under the "notching" method, the roots are inserted in a 

 manner quite contrary to nature. When this occurs to the Scots 

 pine, the tap-root is lost, and its functions can never be taken by a 

 lateral root. The later development of the root system is hindered 

 by its cramped position, and by the soil being wholly unworked. 



"Notch" planting, as practised in Britain, is never resorted to 

 in State forests of Germany, because experience has taught that 



