94 METHODS OF TREATMENT 



plants have been counted on an area of 5 feet by 5 feet. 

 The area was by no means an exceptionally favourable one, 

 as the ground became covered with a thick growth of bracken 

 as soon as the wood was enclosed ; this was cut annually till 

 the young oak was safe : rabbits, however, did not exist. 



With ash, sycamore, and birch ^ 15 to 20 mother trees per 

 acre are all that is usually necessary, as the seeds are 

 winged and travel to a distance. If, however, the area is 

 exposed to frost a heavier cover is necessary with ash, and, 

 as the seedlings are distinctly shade-enduring during the first 

 few years, this can easily be given. Provided sufficient mother 

 trees are present, and that rabbits are absent, regeneration is 

 very easy with these species and it is usually only necessary 

 to keep down weeds. No soil preparation is necessary. The 

 shelter wood should be removed in three or four years. As 

 with the oak, a considerable area of ash has been very success- 

 fully regenerated in the Highmeadow woods near Dean Forest. 

 The young crop is now nine years old, is very dense, and in 

 some places is 12 to 15 feet high, the only work done having 

 been the cutting back of brambles and coppice shoots, and 

 the extermination of rabbits, which were fairly plentiful at 

 the commencement of operations. 



With Scotch pine, the young crop being hardy and very 

 light-demanding, no shelter is required ; the mother trees 

 should therefore stand far apart, about 15 to 20 trees being 

 sufficient on an acre. These should be removed as soon as 

 seedlings in sufficient quantity have appeared over the greater 

 part of the ground, blanks being filled up by planting. Where 

 there is danger of the mother trees being blown down they 

 may be left in clumps over the area instead of leaving a single 

 tree here and there. Some soil preparation is necessary if 

 there is a thick layer of needles on the ground. Pine seed- 

 lings will come up well through heather, if not very thick, so 

 this need not be cut away ; in fact heather land is just the 

 place where regeneration will prove most successful. 



