252 Studies in Forestry [CHAP. xr. 



Brief Recapitulation. The Munich investigations showed 

 that it has not yet been proved that undergrowth exerts any 

 special and direct influence on the actual rate of increment of 

 light-demanding standard trees. But it unquestionably improves 

 the shape of the bole, by tending to make the stem less tapering 

 and therefore of greater technical and financial value, and also 

 the quality of the timber (at any rate so far as concerns the 

 light-demanding conifers) ; whilst by increasing the quantity of 

 dead foliage and preventing its being blown about by the wind, 

 it greatly favours the formation and increase of humus, and 

 thereby materially improves the physical properties of the soil, 

 and enhances its productive capacity. 



