NORTH AMERICAN FOREST TREES IN BRITAIN. 1 59 



to the selection of proper seed-collecting stations. Some species, 

 such as the Douglas fir and the Sitka spruce, are distributed over 

 an immense area, and on that account require special study. It is 

 well known how superior in vigour is the Douglas fir growing 

 close to the coast to the same species growing in the mountains 

 far inland. Furthermore, individuals of northern stations are 

 not so vigorous as those of southern stations. All such 

 differences are doubtless inheritable ; and this is of importance 

 in regard to the following point. Very little is known of wind 

 force on the Pacific Coast; but it is believed that trees of 

 immense size occur in localities where the winds are as constant 

 and as strong as in Ireland, and if this is the case seeds of such 

 trees would be specially valuable. Special forms of Sitka spruce 

 for our mountain plantations could no doubt be found superior 

 to any yet introduced. There are at least two types of Thuya 

 plicata now growing in England, one characterised by much 

 greater vigour than the other; and as this important tree is 

 widely distributed, seeds from the most suitable locality should 

 alone be employed. 



We should establish at once, with the aid of the Governments 

 of British Columbia and Washington State, seed-collecting 

 stations under the supervision of a trained forester. The 

 localities where vigour and good form of the different trees exist 

 with considerable exposure to wind, would serve as collecting 

 grounds for the seed to be used in raising plants for similar 

 stations in Ireland, and also Scotland and Wales. 



The value of the conifers of the Pacific Coast region is now 

 universally admitted, not only in this country, but also in Belgium 

 and Germany. Three species — Douglas fir (Plate XVI. Fig. i), 

 Sitka spruce and Thuya plicata (Fig. 2) — are being planted 

 more and more every year throughout these islands, not 

 only by private owners, but also by public bodies like the 

 Department of Agriculture in the State forests of Ireland, the 

 Commissioners of Woods at Inverliever in Scotland, and various 

 municipal corporations in their water-catchment areas. These 

 three species provide, under suitable conditions of soil, climate 

 and shelter, vast quantities of timber at an early age. Rotations 

 of forty years are possible; and in afforestation on a large scale, 

 a necessary work in this country in coming years, we must 

 mainly rely on the Pacific conifers and on the European larch 

 for obtaining quick and remunerative returns. As an instance. 



