CLIMATE AND TREE C4R0WTH HI 



forest trees, most persons associate the word with those 

 destructive gales which sometimes occur in autumn and 

 winter, and sweep down trees by the acre on thin soils, 

 independently of exposed or sheltered situations. These 

 storms do, of course, immense damage, but they do not 

 interfere with the development of trees from start to 

 finish, as do the more or less annual winds of late 

 summer. 



The weather of the remaining months of the year need 

 not be described in detail, as it does not materially 

 affect the development of hardy trees. Species which 

 grow late in the autumn, like larch, Spanish chestnut, 

 etc., may be injured by earl}'^ frosts, but as a rule 

 the economic forester need not trouble himself about 

 winter weather, except it be gales of exceptional severity, 

 or weather which interferes with his planting opera- 

 tions. Cyclonic gales, however, are not peculiar to 

 Britain, and, taking the average winter, it cannot be said 

 that the conditions are unfavourable to forestry. It 

 may be taken as a fact, however, that the British climate 

 is favourable for profitable timber-growing at compara- 

 tively low elevations only, and that above 800 or 1000 

 feet, according to soil, aspect, and geographical position, 

 timber-growing becomes miprofitable on account of low 

 summer temperatures and strong winds, combined with 

 a more or less thin, cold, and wet soil. 



But however far from perfection the British climate 

 may be, it is only fair to say that a few species thrive in 

 it as well as anywhere in Europe, provided we keep them 

 within 500 or 600 feet of sea-level. These are they which 

 Hke a cool, moist atmosphere, and are able to make a fair 

 growth and ripen their wood at comparatively low 

 summer temperatures of from 50" to 60^ F. Larch on 

 suitable soils and situations, silver fir, Scots pine, and ash 

 amongst European trees, can, at low or moderate eleva- 



