178 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBOKICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



There is no doubt that the pine is a more profitable invest- 

 ment here than the broad-leaf coppice. Under the present system 

 of management, allowing for the difference of rotation, the 

 former yields annually 8s. 4d. per acre and the latter 6s. ; and 

 if the area were regularly subjected to scientific thinnings, as 

 already indicated, the yield ot the pine would be markedly 

 increased. As regards the coppice, the present system of 

 treatment could scarcely be improved upon with reference to 

 exploitation purely. In other words, the yield from the coppice 

 is as high as can be reasonably expected. The conversion of 

 the whole of the coppice into pine high-forest would therefore 

 seem indicated. But there are, as we have seen, private and 

 ccsthetic reasons against such a drastic change. We have also 

 noted that the depreciated value of hornbeam renders impossible 

 its substitution for oak-coppice in low-lying, heavy, cold areas 

 unsuitable for the latter species. But the area under coppice 

 should be greatly reduced by keeping the coppiced felling 

 areas adjoining the pine compartments clean and bare (cleaning 

 every year if necessary), until the pine young growth has 

 established itself naturally. It must not be lost sight of that 

 the price of fuel is falling, and, with the improvement in 

 communications and consequent greater accessibility of coal- 

 fields, this depreciation is not likely to be lessened. On the 

 other hand, the value of the Maritime pine is annually rising. 

 In the south of France the demand for telegraph poles, mine 

 props and planks of this species is increasing by leaps and 

 bounds. In the Landes country there is scarcely a timber 

 purpose which this tree is not now made to serve. The 

 Chemin de fer du Midi use it largely for sleepers (impregnated) 

 and the construction of railway carriages ; while it also 

 supplies material for nearly all the household furniture in the 

 district. There is therefore good reason for recommending 

 an increase in the length of the rotation at Paulmy. Much 

 of the coppice area, if not to be treated as high-forest of 

 pine, requires draining at once. There are, it is true, a certain 

 number of drains already, but these are not enough to render 

 the ground fit for oak. The alternative proposed {i.e. the 

 conversion) would certainly be more satisfactory and less costly. 



The most immediate and imperative need is, however, for 

 thinnings of varied degrees in almost all age-classes of the 

 forest. The difficulty is to decide how best to utilise the 



