296 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
present day, oaks of the finest size and quality are being grown 
and utilised in France and Germany, as well as in other parts of 
Europe, where it has always been recognised that oak only 
thrives after an early age (thirty-five to fifty years) and attains 
good dimensions when associated with some auxiliary species, 
which will aid in forming a complete leaf canopy, and by pre- 
serving the soil from the deteriorating influence of wind and sun, 
ensure the maintenance of its fertility. Lea Bailey, where beech 
was not exterminated, well exemplifies these conditions. The 
small value of beech as compared with oak, and its tendency to 
outgrow the oak and suppress it, probably explain the attempts 
to substitute woods of pure oak for the original mixed woods.” 
Elsewhere he observes that the effect of uncovering and exposing 
the ground has been to render the stiffer qualities of soil almost 
sterile, and to cause even the best soil to sink to the level of 
mediocrity. 
The work of planting these woods was extremely well done, 
but in those days it was believed that closed forests became fit to 
be thrown open to common rights when the young trees had 
“grown up sufliciently.” ‘At the same time, it was thought 
right to thin heavily. And the system of heavy thinnings, 
inaugurated in 1840 or 1850, was accepted as proper, became the 
custom, and was unfortunately pursued over a number of years, 
till the plantations were reduced to the condition of open park- 
like woods, with isolated branching hide-bound oaks of little or 
no promise as regards the production of timber of fine size and 
quality. The plantations were not only heavily thinned, but 
everything in the shape of underwood was cut out, with the 
result that the trees stood far apart, and the exposed soil became 
covered with a turf, fern, and brambles. The object in view was 
apparently to give to the oaks room to develop branches and 
produce crooked and curved timber for naval purposes. The fact 
that the fine timber which was then being felled had grown under 
quite different conditions, with 66 per cent. of beeches to complete 
the leaf canopy and maintain the soil’s fertility, was lost sight of. 
The law of nature, under which pure woods of oak cease to thrive 
after the early stages of growth, was disregarded, and finally any 
natural filling up of the woods and completion of the leaf canopy 
was prevented in the majority of the enclosures by their being 
thrown open. Had an underwood of beech been introduced, the 
thinnings would have been justifiable; and had the leaf canopy 
