154 Studies in Forestry [CHAP. VH. 



it can also be then worked with a higher period of rotation, 

 without incurring any financial loss. 



It is a curious fact that, under the light shade of the Pine, 

 the natural reproduction of the Beech can be more easily and 

 successfully carried out than under the shelter of parent 

 standards themselves. 



As the natural habit of the Scots Pine tends towards an 

 early lateral development of the crown, it should not be given 

 any advantage in age or height to begin with ; its introduction 

 can therefore easily take place either by sowing or by planting 

 here and there throughout the young seedling crops of the 

 ruling species. 



The Larch, as a subordinate species in admixture with 

 Beech, on the whole closely resembles the Scots Pine, except 

 that it then often reaches its physical and economic maturity 

 at about fifty to sixty years of age, and that it makes higher 

 demands on the quality of the soil. 



C. Concerning Mixed Crops of Light-demanding 

 Species. 



Considerations relative to the conservation of the productive 

 capacity of the soil demand that under ordinary circumstances 

 some shade-bearing species should form a portion of the 

 crop ; for the true scientific principle is, as has already been 

 stated above, that it should, in fact, form the major part of 

 the crop, i.e. it should be the ruling species. But, under 

 certain special conditions as to soil and situation, it may 

 seem desirable to the proprietor to depart from this prin- 

 ciple, and to form mixed forests consisting entirely of light- 

 demanding trees. Such crops must ultimately, however, from 

 their natural habits of growth, fail to maintain close canopy; 

 hence, unless the soil is possessed of such physical properties as 

 render it little likely to deteriorate through insolation and the 

 action of winds, the practical formation of a mixed crop, by 



