24 FORESTRY 



CHAPTER IV 

 SYLVICULTURE 



IN the establishment of forests the aim must always be to 

 produce for the given conditions the most valuable timber 

 crop with the least expenditure of time and money consistent 

 with permanently good results. 



Species of Trees Employed 



Of the many different kinds of trees growing in Europe, 

 comparatively few are capable of forming " pure " woods 

 that is, woods consisting of one species only. Of this class 

 we have, however, among conifers the Silver Fir {Abies 

 pectinata), Spruce (Picea excelsa], Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), 

 Larch (Larix europtea\ and Weymouth Pine (Pinus strobus] ; 

 and of broad-leaved trees, Beech (Fagus sylvatica). Oak 

 ( Quertus pedunculata and Q. sessiliflora), Hornbeam (Carpinus 

 betulus). Ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Birch (^Betula alba, L.= 

 < B. verrucosa, and ( B. pubescens, Ehrh.), and Alder (Alnus 

 glutinosa). Various Willows also appear pure in osier beds. 



The above-mentioned trees are known as " ruling " species, 

 the remainder are called " subordinate," being found in mixed 

 woods, or pure only very exceptionally. 



Of the species here enumerated, five are of particular im- 

 portance, namely, Oak, Beech, Scots Pine, Spruce, and Silver 

 Fir. To the cultivation of these chief attention is directed. 

 All the trees just mentioned have long been grown in Northern 

 Europe except two the Larch, which, occurring naturally 

 in the Alps, was introduced to England in the seventeenth 

 century (to Scotland in the eighteenth century) ; and the 

 Weymouth Pine, introduced during the eighteenth century. 



Recently much attention has been given, particularly in 

 Germany, to the cultivation as forest trees of various 



