202 THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH FORESTRY 



to render them profitable under ordinary conditions. Other 

 species, again, grow rapidly as individuals, but require too 

 much space, or are too irregular in their development, to 

 produce a heavy crop of large timber. Sycamore, walnut, 

 and in some cases ash, are instances of" trees which bring a 

 very high price in the shape of large trees, but can seldom 

 be grown profitably as crops, on account of their uncertain 

 development throughout the rotation. These species also 

 require a great deal of space to grow to the girth at which 

 they bring high prices, and this necessarily reduces the 

 number of trees per acre which can be calculated to arrive 

 at maturit3^ Grown sparingly in mixtures with more 

 profitable species, or in groups of small size, it is often 

 possible to use them with advantage, but as pure crops 

 they have never yet attained any great reputation as high 

 rent yielders on British soils. 



Quality, as seen in the price per cubic foot alone, is 

 therefore no reliable indication of profit to the pro- 

 ducer, and unless accompanied by a fairly high yield in 

 volume per acre, the species possessing it may be easily 

 grown at a loss. Species which contain the two essen- 

 tials are not numerous. Larch, on the right classes 

 of soil, is the best-known example, but on unsuitable 

 soils cannot be greatly relied upon. Weymouth pine, 

 Douglas pine, ash, Spanish chestnut, etc, are probably 

 the most reliable species for producing timber of good 

 quality at a rapid rate, but all of them are somewhat 

 limited in their ability to grow on various soils and 

 situations. 



Fineness of grain is also a valuable quality for certain 

 purposes, and may be acquired by cultivation, or constitute 

 a specific character. Spruce and Scots pine grown in close 

 order are examples of the former ; sycamore, beech, and 

 birch of the latter. In crops which have to be artificially 

 raised at considerable expense it is also doubtful if quality 



