THE CORSICAN PINE IN DORSET. 47 



without injury. Several of these stems are 3 feet in circum- 

 ference at 5^-^ feet from the ground. 



Under the Corsicans there is a coating 4 inches thiclc of leaf- 

 mould on the ground. Under the Scots pines, on the other hand, 

 there are only 2 inches of mould, and I believe part of that is the 

 result of the CoVsicans being so close at hand that some of 

 their needles are carried under the Scots pines. 



The pine plantations on this estate are mostly growing on 

 the Bagshot Beds' formation, composed of a series of sands of 

 various colour, with thin patches of clay in places; the natural 

 herbage is heather, gorse and sedge. 



Two soil samples of the district are as follows: — (No. i) 

 A cultivated field, depth of soil 9 inches, available phosphoric 

 acid 003, available potash '004, carbonate of soda -85. (No. 

 2) Heather land, depth of soil 9 inches, available phosphoric 

 acid o, available potash o, carbonate of soda -05 — as will 

 be seen, it is one of the poorest soils met with, containing 

 very little organic matter.^ Its water-retaining qualities are 

 poor, and this in conjunction with the long hot summers we 

 get here (sometimes we are months without rain), proves that 

 the only tree that can survive is one that keeps its canopy 

 and sheds a heavy layer of leaves annually, to keep the soil 

 cool and moist. 



6. The Douglas Fir.^ 



By W. H. Whellens, Comlongon Nurseries, Ruthwell. 



On an estate in Surrey, on a north-easterly aspect, at an 

 altitude of 420 feet, on light, sandy soil, with a subsoil of red 

 sand containing much black ironstone, the author has grown 

 Douglas firs which, eight years after planting, were in a very 

 healthy condition. And in the park of the same estate, there 

 stands a broken-topped tree, now 10 1 feet high, growing in a well- 

 sheltered hollow, on light sand covered by a good layer of 

 humus. 



On an estate in Wales, at an elevation of about 700 feet, on 



^ From The Soils of Dorset, by John Percivel, M.A., University College, 

 Reading. 



- From a prize essay which want of space prevents our publishing in full. — 

 Hon. Ed. 



