204 THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH FORESTRY 



trees planted in Great Britain, as it can usually be relied 

 upon for forty or fifty years, and at this age no species 

 capable of cheap planting can be found to take its place 

 in ordinary woodlands. 



Weymouth pine again, although a fast grower and pro- 

 ducer of valuable timber, is very subject to the attacks of 

 the blister disease, Peridermium strohi, and in the opinion 

 of Professor Somerville may have to be given up alto- 

 gether as a timber tree in this country. 



The value of Douglas fir in British forestry has now 

 been clearly established in all parts of the kingdom, pro- 

 vided the situation is not exposed, and the soil is not wet 

 or does not contain more than 2 or 3 per cent, of carbonate 

 of lime. The poorest and driest gravels will grow this tree 

 as successfully as Scots pine, but the best development 

 of the species takes place on deep loamy gravels, in 

 valleys or eastern aspects, with sufficient moisture to 

 supply the requirements of vigorous growth. In the 

 shape of Oregon pine the timber of this tree has long 

 been imported into Britain, and is extensively used for 

 beams, pillars, and other scantling of large size. It stands 

 weather remarkably well, and for this reason has been 

 suggested as a substitute for larch in fencing. It has 

 been tried in Scotland for sleepers, and compares favour- 

 ably with other home-grown species for that or most 

 other purposes. 



In a valuable monograph on this tree in the Trans- 

 actions of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society for 

 January 1908, Mr. J. D. Crozier points out the value of 

 Douglas fir for underplanting larch, or for filling up old 

 or gappy woods. Examples of underplanting on the 

 Durris estate show that the Douglas produces an equally 

 good effect upon the larch as beech, but possibly the cool, 

 damp climate may have something to do with this. On 

 dry soils or localities it is doubtful if Douglas should 



