CHAPTER III 



CONIFERS AND SOILS 



Many, in fact most coniferous trees, will thrive 

 in any soil of fairly good quality ; but it is like- 

 wise a well-known fact that certain species will 

 only succeed satisfactorily when planted under 

 peculiar conditions, whether as to soil and site 

 or the amount of dampness that is present in the 

 ground. 



Thus, Sciadopitys verticillata will only succeed 

 when planted in dampish peaty ground or de- 

 composed leaf soil, while Picea sitchensis requires 

 heavy retentive loam ; it soon becomes unhealthy 

 when planted in that of a light and dry nature. 

 Again, Abies Pinsapo grows with unusual luxuri- 

 ance when planted on chalk or limestone, and the 

 same remark applies to A, cephalonica and A, 

 numidica, both of which do better on chalk or 

 limestone than they do in the loamy soils that 

 are so well adapted for many other species of 

 Abies, Pinus Laricio nigricans also succeeds best 

 on chalky or calcareous soil. 



P. Pinaster, P. halepensis, and P. rigida do best 

 when planted on pure sand on the sea- coast ; 

 whilst P. sylvestris and P. Laricio grow nowhere 



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