THE NEW FORESTRY. 8 1 



grow a greater number of species than are grown on the Con- 

 tinent, and it is admitted that the climate and soil of Great 

 Britain and Ireland produce all the most useful timber trees in 

 perfection. We have a good market for timber, we can grow 

 it ; and the only question is, can we produce crops heavy 

 enough to pay ? We have not the least doubt on that head. 

 If we can produce a certain number of cubic feet to the acre 

 the question is solved. German authorities give the final clear 

 cut, alone, of Scotch fir, at nearly ten thousand cubic feet to 

 the acre ; spruce and silver fir at from fourteen thousand to 

 seventeen thousand cubic feet ; and other species in proportion. 

 We ought to be able to do the same in this country, and at 

 the very least we should be able to produce from eight 

 thousand to ten thousand feet to the acre under dense culture. 

 Less than that quantity ought to pay, and pay well, and at the 

 average prices long given for timber in our woods, owners of 

 estates ought to be able to satisfy themselves whether planting 

 is likely to prove a safe investment or not. 



SECTION IV. THE SOIL. 



The question of soil in relation to the production of timber 

 is one of much importance in connection with the planting of 

 poor soils and waste lands. Much ignorance has existed on 

 the subject in this country up till now, and has caused great 

 loss owing to good land having been planted that might have 

 been more profitably devoted to other purposes, and waste land 

 to be neglected that was quite suitable for timber trees. 

 Brown's teaching, and those of others of the same school down 

 to the present day, have contributed greatly to mistakes in this 

 direction. Nothing could be cruder or more misleading than 

 Brown's definition of a tree in the last original edition of 

 " The Forester," 1882, page 61, where he states that " the body 

 of a tree is formed out of a few earthy substances, together 

 with water and air, and is fixed to the earth by its roots." 

 Fostered by teaching of this kind it has become a fixed idea 

 among foresters that the quality of the soil is of first importance 

 in the production of timber, whereas it is realy of secondary 

 consequence. Correct ideas on the subject have only recently 

 been derived from France and Germany, although the subject 

 has been understood there long enough. The true theory of 

 the growth of timber or wood in trees, as far as relates to soil, 

 is simple. Trees derive by far the greatest portion of their 

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