THE FORESTRY EXHIBITION AT DERBY. 93 
can be more cheaply and better done. In short, it is the 
mechanical condition of the surface soil that is the all-important 
factor in planting, the slag being simply an agent for producing 
the desired results. 
The Forestry Exhibition proper comprised seven sections, viz., 
(I.) Seeds and Cones; (II.) Trees and Shrubs; (III.) Woods 
and Plantations; (IV.) Timbers; (V.) Insects and Diseases ; 
(VI.) Plans and Maps; and (VII.) Tools and Appliances. 
In Section I., the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, 
and the Country Gentlemen’s Association showed very good 
examples. In Section II., outside the building, the Duke of 
Northumberland had an exhibit and a small planted plot 
illustrating a sylvicultural mixture of light-demanding and 
shade-bearing trees, regarding which the following explanation 
was given:—“‘The number of plants per acre, and method 
of mixing, could be varied according to circumstances. The 
number per acre in this case was 4840, as set out on the 
plot, and the mixture consisted of—(@) an outer row of beech 
for shelter; (4) a second row containing a fair sprinkling of 
sycamore as a wind-resisting tree; (c) oak at g feet apart 
for the permanent crop; (d) other hardwoods for returns during 
the rotation; (e) a sprinkling of larch for early returns; and 
(7) shade-bearers of spruce, silver fir, and beech for soil- 
protection and stimulation of the main crop. The advantages 
of this method would be unbroken canopy throughout the 
period of growth, improved quality of timber, greater volume 
per acre, and at the same time this kind of mixing would make 
excellent fox and game coverts.” 
As regards mixing, it may be said that the method just 
mentioned cannot be claimed as perfect, but two important, 
though very elementary, points should be borne in mind, viz.— 
(x) that mixing should never be done in a haphazard way, 
and (2) that the idea that for game coverts the greater the chaos 
of trees, shrubs, grass, and weeds, the better the results, is a 
pure delusion. On the contrary, it is far better to form game 
coverts on sound sylvicultural principles, inasmuch as they will 
then yield genuine sport to the present owner and profitable 
woods to his successors. 
In Section III. the Earl of Yarborough, who sent the largest 
forestry exhibit to the Show, had a very complete and instructive 
set of photographs of different kinds of trees in various stages, 
