A MANUAL OP FORESTRY. 



advanced age, under which a thick growth of moss 

 springs up, which, together with the shade, preserves a 

 suitable degree of moisture in the soil. 



It also forms a suitable stock with which other valu- 

 able timber trees, such as Spruce, Larch, Scotch Pine, 

 Oak, &c., may be mixed. It is most frequently found 

 mixed with Spruce, as they have the same shape and 

 approximately the same height-growth. Silver Fir, 

 being deeper rooted, protects the Spruce from being 

 thrown by storms. Another most excellent mixture is 

 Silver Fir and Beech, as they make similar demands on 

 the locality. Oak in mixture with Silver Fir does well, 

 provided the former has a decided start to prevent being 

 outgrown. Silver Fir is a very useful species for under- 

 planting Oak, Larch, and Scotch Pine, when these 

 species commence to thin out, while they afford to the 

 young Silver Fir the necessary shelter against late and 

 early frosts. 



g. Sylvicultural Systems. 



Silver Fir is only adapted for high forest, more par- 

 ticularly for the shelter-wood systems with natural 

 regeneration by seed. If grown on blanks it requires 

 nurses to protect it against frost and drought while 

 young. It may occasionally be seen as standards in 

 coppice, but this is not advisable, owing to its dense 

 foliage. As it does not reproduce from the stool, it 

 cannot be grown as coppice; it makes, however, good 

 hedges. 



It is generally worked under a rotation of 80 to 120 

 years. 



