SOME SILVICULTURAL ASPECTS AND PROBLEMS OF THE SOIL. 5 I 



referred to (exposure to wind and special subsoil conditions) are 

 among those fairly accurately estimated by ordinary observation. 

 So that although as yet estimation of the quality of locality by 

 observation of the type and vigour of the ground flora is not 

 carried to such a satisfactory position as renders it a certain 

 means of evaluation, yet, combined with simple observations of 

 the soil structure and local weather effects, it most certainly 

 offers the greatest possibilities as a simple and moderately 

 accurate method. Indeed it is much used in the rough, either 

 consciously or sub-consciously, by the majority of observant 

 foresters, as is apparent by the very frequent references to 

 ground vegetation which almost invariably accompany soil 

 description in the many papers on the planting of waste land in 

 past numbers of the Transactions. 



Bearing these considerations in mind, it is concluded that the 

 most rapid method of standardising our knowledge of the locality 

 requirements of the species of trees in general use, is, in the first 

 place, the vegetational survey of our present woodland areas, 

 especially those in which these species are growing to good 

 quality, since the vegetation is an indication of present con- 

 ditions under crop, the conditions we ought to attempt to obtain 

 for other crops of the same species. In the second place, the 

 collection of data, based on the opinions of experienced foresters, 

 with regard to the species most suitable for cleared and hitherto 

 unafforested areas, with vegetational descriptions of the lands 

 thus evaluated by them, for immediate comparative use, is 

 important. Finally, a survey of all land at present being planted 

 should be made, so that the present vegetation might be 

 correlated with the quality of the future crop. The data thus 

 obtained would be of the highest immediate and future practical 

 value, and would be of the greatest assistance in the construction 

 of a truly scientific method of soil evaluation, which from its 

 complexity must be carried out more slowly. The consequent 

 reduction and future elimination of errors in choice of species, 

 which will otherwise be repeated indefinitely and with more 

 disastrous results should extensive afforestation be carried out, 

 will repay many times over the relatively small expenditure 

 necessary to secure the advantages obtained by such a method 

 of evaluation. 



