46 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



concerning the famous Tharandt Forest Academy which for more 

 than a hundred years now has been one of the chief continental 

 schools of scientific silviculture. Its renown is justly world- 

 wide, and nearly every country in Europe, as well as America, 

 Australia and Japan have, as a rule, representatives on the roll 

 of students. 



4. Some Vegetation Types at High Altitudes. 



( With Illustrations.) 

 By G. P. Gordon, B.Sc.(Edin.), B.Sc.(Oxon.). 



It is well known that under natural conditions the upper 

 zones of tree-growth rarely, if ever, constitute normal forest, 

 but rather form the all-important belts of protection-forest which 

 make possible the economic development of forest and agri- 

 cultural land at lower elevations. In order to investigate such 

 vegetation types, it would seem advisable to select an area on 

 which not only a large variety of types occurs, but where, in 

 addition, a continuous succession of forest zones may be 

 obtained, so that observations might be made at points where 

 one forest type merges into another. With this end in view 

 the district of Zernez, in the Engadin in north-east Switzerland, 

 was fixed upon. The district is specially suitable because 

 the floras of the Ober- and Unterengadin are there contiguous. 

 It was therefore possible to observe the gradation from the 

 forests of the Oberengadin, where larch is the dominant species, 

 into the spruce forests of the Unterengadin. Further, the 

 conditions in this area are such that observations may be made 

 through a considerable range in altitude. 



In addition to forming interesting plant associations, these 

 forests aff'ord many excellent examples of natural woodland 

 types (Urwald). The contour of the country and the distribu- 

 tion of these types would indicate that they have been free 

 from all modifying influences, other than natural factors, and 

 their present condition goes to confirm this. The entire 

 absence of forests of broad-leaved trees is a striking feature of 

 this district, and thus it forms a contrast with the highest tree 

 zone in Scotland. It was only after traversing considerable 

 areas that isolated specimens of birch (Betida pubescens), 



