THE SITKA SPRUCE AS A TREE FOR HILL PLANTING. I 3 



the greater return on a low elevation, and a deep soil, Sitka 

 spruce would undoubtedly yield better results at high elevations, 

 and on moist soils. 



For Sitka spruce, pure planting offers advantages which 

 cannot be obtained by mixing it with other species, both on 

 account of the greater inducement towards height-growth, and 

 with regard to simplification of management. Unfortunately, 

 the present high price of plants precludes the possibility of 

 pure planting ; but with an increased and steady demand for 

 them, there is no apparent reason why plants should not be 

 produced in the public nurseries at a price not greatly in 

 excess of that ruling for ordinary commercial conifers. For 

 extensive planting it is better in every respect, however, to 

 raise the plants in the estate nursery. On good soils, 3556 

 plants per acre will generally be sufficient to insure the necessary 

 density of crop ; but on high-lying sites the number would 

 require to be increased to 4840 plants per acre. Should it be 

 found necessary to select a cheaper substitute to mix with the 

 Sitka spruce, Norway spruce, although slow in growth, seems 

 best fitted for the purpose, and on moist soils little choice is 

 left in the matter. In a mixed plantation of the two species, 

 1 2 10 Sitka spruce, placed at 6 feet apart with the intervals 

 filled in to 3 feet over all with Norway spruce, will generally 

 give satisfactory results ; but any less proportion of the Sitka 

 would most likely repeat the result obtained in the hill plantation 

 already alluded to, and would allow the crowns of the dominating 

 species too much freedom before they themselves had formed close 

 canopy. On low elevations and good soils, a mixture of larch 

 and Sitka spruce would also be likely to lead to good results. In 

 that case, however, the proportion of the latter would require 

 to be increased to about one-half in order to obtain sufficient 

 density of crop to effect timely branch-shedding. The two 

 species seem to associate well together ; in height-growth they 

 are about equal, until the pole stage has been passed at least, 

 and the Sitka spruces, thus compelled to fight for crown space, 

 are drawn up with a cleaner stem than when they overtop the 

 slower-growing Norway spruce. The greater value obtained 

 from thinnings is also an inducement to make the experiment, 

 wherever practicable. The management of such a mixture 

 would of course be governed by the success or failure of the 

 larch, but the usual objections to the planting of spruce and 



