ON NURSE TREES IN YOUNG PLANTATIONS. l^^ 



been used to fill up blanks in the first few years after 

 planting. 1 



A certain amount of ground in the plantations described is 

 planted with oak and beech only, and the growth of the oaks 

 under these conditions is very much less than where they have 

 been sheltered and stimulated by the more rapid growth of 

 the larch. 



The following measurements of the height of oaks, growing 

 in mixture with beech, are taken from plantations ten years old, 

 grown as nearly as possible in similar conditions — in one case 

 with, and in the other without, larch nurses. In each case, 

 twenty oaks have been taken, as they grew, without selection : — 



A — PViiA Larch Nurses. B — Without Larch Nurses. 



The trees measured are growing in adjoining plantations. 

 In order to get as nearly as possible similar conditions, a strip 

 about 15 feet wide was taken, in each case on the southern edge 

 of the plantation. It is possible that in both cases some of the 



^ The following measurements of pit-wood are from recent fellings. It is 

 regretted that accurate measurements of the whole of the pit-wood removed 

 from one acre from the ninth to the eleventh year are not available. 



Thinnings of European larch nurses planted in spring 1911 on land which 

 was ploughed in 1910 and kept hoed in 1911-12. Individual trees up to a 

 maximum of 26 feet in height, showing growth of 4 ft. 3 ins. and 4 feet in 

 1916 and 1917. Average length of pit-wood down to 3 ins. diameter at small 

 end, 9 ft. 8 ins. Final return from Japanese larch nurses planted as 2-year 

 seedlings on old grass in autumn 1907, felled in winter 191 7: — An area of 

 one acre gave 3099 lineal feet of short pit-props down to 3 ins. diameter at 

 small end, of this 848 feet were 4 ft. by 4 ins., 1672 feet, 4 ft. by 3 ins., 

 and 579 feet, 3 ft. by 3 ins. Number of trees unfortunately not counted, 

 probably 360 is a fair estimate, giving an average length of 8 ft. 7 ins. of 

 pit-wood per tree. The Japanese larch was straighter than the European 

 larch rapidly-grown on hoed land. 



