CHAP, xi.] Effete f Undcrplantiiig 237 



that the underwood, by keeping the soil moist and cool in 

 early spring, delayed the early awakening of vegetation and of 

 assimilative processes for about a fortnight at least. This pre- 

 vents the commencement of growth until somewhat warmer 

 weather has set in, and thus stimulates the energy of the assimi- 

 lative organs, and leads to the formation of thicker cell-walls in 

 the woody fibrous tissue. To be unbiassed, it must be pointed 

 out that the comparative freedom from branches had nothing 

 to do with the undergrowth. It was due to the fact that the 

 crop was originally a mixed wood of Pine and Beech, from 

 which the latter was cut out about the sixtieth to seventieth 

 year, after the chief growth in height had already been com- 

 pleted, whilst a spontaneous undergrowth of Beech took 

 possession of the soil ; for it is a well-known fact that this 

 species regenerates itself better under Scots Pine than under 

 the denser shade of parent standards. 



The investigations conducted by the Munich authorities are 

 worthy of great respect ; for they were made in a truly scientific 

 spirit, free from bias either one way or another. They not only 

 take into account the breadth of the annual rings at various 

 heights above the ground, but also the superficial increment, 

 the increment in height, and the total increment in cubic 

 contents without all of which reliable data are not obtain- 

 able. Where they are weak is that, although over 7,500 acres 

 of high forest have been underplanted and might be chosen 

 from, yet, unfortunately, areas without underwood, but abso- 

 lutely similar as to soil and situation, are wanting for accurate 

 comparison. Three sets of investigations were conducted, with 

 the following results. 



The first series was made in Oak forest (Q. pedunculatd] of 

 eighty-two years of age, which had been underplanted with 

 Beech at fifty-four years of age (twenty-eight years previously). 

 The underwood had partly grown up into the crowns of the 

 standards, and the soil had a dense layer of dead foliage and 

 mould. The records of the Working Plan showed that at the 



