Some Problems of Re-afforestation. 5 



volume of the Transactions of the R.S.A.S. Mr. H. M. Cadell, 

 drawing on his experience up to an altitude of 550 ft. in 

 Stirlingshire, states that the Japanese larch and Sitka spruce 

 have grown about equally fast and have far outstripped all 

 the other species. In Vol. xxviii. of the same Transactions, 

 Mr. A. 0. Forbes expresses the opinion "that the value of 

 Sitka spruce for planting on the exposed sites and wet soils 

 which occupy so large a proportion of the surface of Ireland 

 i-aii scarcely be over-estimated." 



While the timber is inferior in respect of durability to that 

 of the Douglas fir, it is at least as valuable as that of the 

 .common spruce, and under the name of the Silver Spruce it has 

 a very high reputation for the construction of aeroplanes. The 

 name Silver Spruce not to be confounded with silver fir is 

 derived from the silvery or glaucous appearance of the foliage, 

 a fact which gives the tree a high decorative value. 



When grown singly the Sitka spruce forms strong side 

 branches, and under these circumstances the stem is very coarse 

 and knotty. It should therefore be planted fairly close, and thin- 

 ning should not start till somewhat late, and should be moderate 

 in extent. In woods of similar density it is said to clean itself 

 better than common spruce and is much more resistant to wind. 



The Japanese Larch. This species was introduced in 1861, 

 and there are now many pure plantations up to twenty years 

 of age. Possibly this tree will not in later life attain to the 

 dimensions of the European larch, but in the first twenty to 

 thirty years it almost invariably surpasses the common larch 

 both in height and in volume per acre. In quality of timber 

 there is no appreciable difference between the two species, but 

 there are certain other points of distinction to be noted. As 

 compared with the common species, the Japanese larch has 

 stronger side branches, and the stem is scarcely so straight. 

 These are characteristics in which it is inferior ; but, on the 

 other hand, it grows much faster in youth, suppresses ground 

 vegetation much more completely, forms a denser layer of 

 humus, is practically immune to disease, grows on a wider 

 range of soils on poor chalk it is much superior and recovers 

 from such an injury as snow-breaking much more quickly and 

 completely. It is also more decorative than the common larch, 

 its foliage being longer and more silvery, while its young 

 branches are of a warm cinnamon brown colour. There are 

 few finer sights in nature than a young wood of Japanese 

 larches when the ground is covered with snow, against which 

 the young shoots make a very striking show of colour. 



For a short rotation, designed for the supply of pit props or 

 light fencing material, no species of tree can excel the Japanese 



