40 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
plant. It does well on damp and exposed situations, but is very 
sensitive to spring frosts. 
Douglas Fir has come rapidly into favour within recent years, 
on account of its very rapid growth and the high quality of its 
timber. On account of the high price of the young plants, it is 
mixed with other species, such as spruce, silver fir, and larch, 
which help to check the side-branches in the early stages of its 
growth. On no account should the Douglas fir be put more 
than 12 feet apart, with the internal space filled up till the species 
just named stand 3 feet apart.' When Douglas fir is planted in 
this fashion, using cheaper plants to fill up the intervals, it helps 
greatly towards cheapening the cost of planting. Owing to the 
shade-bearing properties of this tree, the side-branches develop to 
an undesirable extent, and the chief object, if clean timber be 
desired, is to get it close enough to crush out these lateral 
branches, and so form the stem into a clean, cylindrical bole. 
Owing to the rapid growth of this tree, the leading-shoots are 
very liable to be broken and damaged by the wind in exposed 
situations or on high-lying ground, the tree thus becoming crooked 
and stag-headed. Its proper place is on low-lying ground and in 
sheltered valleys, away from dangerous winds. The soil best 
suited for its growth is deep, moist, sandy gravel, and loam 
of a fair depth. It does not grow well on chalk, lime, or 
stiff clay. 
Corsican Pine can be grown either pure or mixed with larch, 
spruce, or silver fir, which can be taken out as thinnings; and it 
can be planted on something like the system recommended for 
Douglas fir. Plants can be put about 12 feet apart, and the 
intervals filled up with the subordinate species. The quality of 
its timber is sometimes almost equal to that of Scots pine. It 
has a straight, clean stem when grown close, and it grows much 
faster during its early years than Scots pine. It is, however, 
very difficult to transplant, as it has so few fibrous roots that 
there is often a considerable percentage of deaths, unless it is 
lifted very carefully. It is best to transplant it in early autumn 
or late in spring, and care should be taken, during the operation, 
that the roots are exposed as little as possible to the effects of 
wind or sun. The best timber is produced on soil suitable for 
the growth of Scots pine, such as moist, fresh gravel, although it 
' Such close planting seems unnecessary on any class of land where Douglas 
fir is likely to be planted. —Hon. Ep. i 
