in Provence and the Cevennes. 331 



as compared with the oak, is far too large, and that the 

 <;over is in many places too heavy, so much so that tlie 

 ilevelopment of the oaks is seriously impeded, Avhile in 

 places they have been completely killed, many of the pines 

 heing also dead, and left standing at the risk of their breeding 

 insects. That the cork oak does not entirely disappear 

 under this treatment, is due to the fortunate circumstance 

 that it can support a fairly heavy shade without actually 

 dying outright; and tliat under it the trees continue to live in 

 a stunted and unhealthy condition, giving a certain amount of 

 seed; so that, except in the densest parts, there are nearly 

 always some suppressed oaks of various sizes, even where 

 the heather is very thick. We passed a piece of private 

 forest in which precisely the contrary conditions prevail, 

 the whole of the pines having been cut out, and a pure oak 

 forest remaining. This has resulted in a very rapid growth 

 of the young oak, and possibly it may turn out to be the 

 correct method of treatment ; but the opinion of the forest 

 uflEicers present seemed to be that it should not be gene- 

 rally adopted, for the present at any rate, both on account of 

 the objections which exist to the maintenance of pure 

 forests on general grounds, and also because, however well 

 the oaks might grow, if left to themselves, without the 

 shelter of the pines, it is by no means certain that they 

 would prosper equally well when deprived of the shields of 

 cork, with which nature has furnished them, doubtless to 

 enable them to resist the fierce heat of the southern sun. 

 It seems likely that under these conditions it is necessary 

 to afford them some shelter, and that complete exposure, 

 by the entire removal of the pines, will not have a 

 good result. The proper plan seems to be to leave just 

 enough pines to afford the needful shelter, and no more ; 

 certainly the cover of these trees should not be allowed to 

 suppress the oaks. 



One of the great difiRculties to be encountered in this 

 region is the forest fires, which sometimes cause incalculable 

 damage. On limestone rock much of the undergrowth is 

 of a nature which tends somewhat to impede the rapid 

 progress of the flames. But here everything is as 

 inflammable as possible, the ground below the shrubs 

 being covered with pine needles and cones, which are 



