CONTINENTAL NOTES FRANCE. 63 



mixture is particularly suited to hot aspects, because kainit has the 

 property of fixing the humidity of the air. The dose per plant 

 is ih to 4 oz., and the maximum cost r centime. The action 

 of these added substances is variable according to species. 

 With the spruce, and most of the broad-leaved trees, it is 

 immediate ; with the pines it only takes effect after two years. 

 This is due to the root-system. The advance made by the 

 plants is enormous. Austrian pines of two years, thus treated, 

 are taller than untreated plants of seven years age. There is 

 no failure, even in the greatest droughts. The plants are fine. 

 The only drawback is the tremendous growth of the grass, which 

 has to be weeded out, but the extra cost is not great. 



6. Inasmuch as the spruce is a feebly-rooted tree, and there- 

 fore easily thrown down by wind, it is useful to know that in 

 Switzerland it has been found that trees grown from seed gathered 

 at high altitudes are always better rooted than those grown 

 from the seed of low altitudes. In regard to the larch the 

 remark is repeated that the Japanese larch will only remain 

 ahead of the common larch for some fifteen years. M. Huberty 

 highly recommends a variety of larch from the Sudetic chain 

 of mountains in Silesia. According to Professor Cieslar, the 

 Sudetic larch (with upward-turning branches) is stronger than 

 the Alpine larch (with drooping branches) ; it is faster growing, 

 and can accommodate itself better to low altitudes. 



7. In the June number of the Bulletin de Franche-Comte et 

 Belfort, M. Barbey has a very full notice on the Douglas, and 

 quotes very numerous and very striking figures in its favour. 

 Everywhere coppice is being converted into high-forest, and 

 since coniferous woods are the most demanded by the trade, 

 the Douglas, with its wonderful rapidity of growth and great 

 intrinsic value, is well suited for introduction among broad- 

 leaved woods in course of transformation. In such a situation 

 a fast-growing and valuable conifer, supporting a light cover, 

 or at least lateral shade, is the tree to choose. The firs are 

 able to stand the early conflict with the quickly growing new 

 coppice-shoots of a recently felled broad-leaved wood, but the 

 silver at least is very slow in early youth. Pines and larch 

 are too light-demanding for such conditions. In every way 

 the Douglas is superior to all these in the circumstances. One 

 may agree in a general manner with the writer that the 

 planting of conifers among broad-leaved trees is excellent, but 



