196 THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH FORESTRY 



birch, and alder can usually be relied upon to reproduce 

 themselves satisfactorily in the absence of ground game, pro- 

 vided the surface is comparatively clean and free from thick 

 grass or bracken. Under certain surface conditions Scots 

 pine also reproduces well, but is more difiicult to regulate 

 in economically worked woods than most species. Silver 

 tir, if grown in thick clumps of an acre or more in extent, 

 would probabl}^ regenerate as well in Britain as on the 

 Continent, but spruce shows less capacity in this respect. 

 Larch occasionally comes up well in small patches, but 

 not on a scale large enough to prove of great value, while 

 isolated or occasional instances are recorded of Douglas 

 tir, Abies nohilis, Tsuga 'merte7isiana, Thuia gigantea, etc., 

 self-seeding in various places. 



The value of natural regeneration depends greatly upon 

 the object with which the woods are managed, the charac- 

 ter of the soil and situation, and the area of ground 

 beins' dealt with. Under certain soil and climatic condi- 

 tions a species might regenerate itself easily and freely, 

 but fail to develop into a profitable crop owing to the 

 particular kind of timber being little in demand, or the 

 soil and situation being unfavourable. Sycamore and ash 

 on dry, shallow soil or high-lying situations might be cited 

 as instances of such cases. In very small woods, or those 

 which require very intensive cultivation to make them pay, 

 natural regeneration of species like birch or alder may be 

 of little advantage, as the final crop is too small to yield a 

 good return. 



Natural regeneration is chiefiy successful with ash on 

 ofood, rich soils at low or moderate elevations, beech on 

 chalky or sandy loams, sycamore on strong, clayey soils 

 round the margins of woods, and birch on high-lying and 

 poor soils. With proper management, and with ground 

 game kept in check, neither ash nor beech give any 

 trouble. The former is best worked on the selection 



