92 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Laurenzer Wald and Sebalder Wald — the former lies to the south, 

 the latter lies to the north of Nuremberg. At the present time the 

 total area of the two forests is 75,316 acres. A quantity of 

 the land near the outskirts of the town has within the last century 

 gradually passed into private ownership, 



II, — Soil and Climate. 



The soil is derived from the Upper New Red Sandstone and 

 diluvium. The Jura formation is represented on small areas only. 

 Wide stretches of the area however are covered by quaternary 

 deposits of diluvial sand, which in many places forms a thick 

 bed above the underlying strata, and which presents to the eye 

 extensive level plains, only here and there traversed by dune- 

 like undulations. The average altitude of the area above the level 

 of the North Sea is 984 to 1009 feet. In places ranges of hills 

 trending from east to west, composed of Upper New Red Sand- 

 stone, rise from the bed of the former diluvial sea to a height of 

 1443 fset. The climate is a moderate one. The average 

 barometric pressure is 28 "94 inches. The average temperature 

 is 47° F. Frost and snow appear in winter about December and 

 disappear about the month of April, The chemical and physical 

 qualities of the soil vary in an extraordinarily abrupt manner over 

 small areas of the apparently homogeneous landscape. It changes 

 from good, deep, sandy-loam to dry, fine-grained sand. Sandy 

 soil containing only a little humus with a great tendency to drought 

 and tolerably fresh sandy-humus soils predominate. Frequently 

 in hollows or low-lying situations there is a tendency to bogginess. 

 In such places there is frequently a good supply of water. 



III. — Forest Conditions and Object of Management. 



In accordance with the condition of the soil already described, 

 the predominant species belong to the indigenous conifers, the 

 principal tree being the common Scots pine {Pinus sylvestris), 

 which composes 70 per cent, of the forest. It occurs pure and 

 without any admixture of other species in the dominant classes. 

 Next in importance comes the spruce, which also forms fairly 

 extensive pure woods. The silver fir {Abies pectinata) and the 

 larch {Larix eiiropcea) occur seldom. Among the broad-leaved, 

 species occurs the oak (principally Qiiercus pedunculata), which 

 was undoubtedly much more abundant in the previous century, 

 the alder {Alnus glutinosa), and the beech {Fagus sylvatka), 



