72 ENGLISH ESTATE FORESTRY 



plants to the acre than one of ash, and up to that age the 

 thicker it stands the better. But after that period gradual 

 thinnings must be made for the benefit of the dominant trees ; 

 for if these get into a weak and spindly condition, they 

 rarely, if ever, recover their full vigour afterwards. What is 

 wanted is to keep the leading shoot growing vigorously as long 

 as possible, and thus prevent large crowns on short boles. 

 The ash is particularly sensitive to late frost, and when the 

 terminal shoot is injured by this or any other cause, double 

 leaders are apt to arise, and the stem divides. Grown in 

 partial shade until the tops are above the frost line, they 

 usually escape injury, and in the very best ash soils the 

 trees can be grown pure as uneven-aged high forest with 

 advantage. Such a system closely resembles coppice with 

 standards in which the latter are unusually thick, and even- 

 aged high forest can be easily turned into it after the trees 

 approach maturity. 



Some may possibly think coppice with standards 

 preferable, but with this the coppice either becomes practically 

 valueless, or the standards stand too far apart to form an 

 adequate crop. Good ash is such a profitable crop that it 

 seems a pity to waste really suitable soil 011 anything else 

 except when first planted, and then larch might be used to 

 shelter it and to furnish profitable thinnings. But, when 

 once a wood has been formed, nothing is easier than to keep 

 gaps filled up as they occur with strong well-rooted plants 3 

 to 8 ft. high, and paint or otherwise protect them from 

 rabbits for a year or two. As uneven-aged high forest it 

 adapts itself wonderfully well to natural regeneration, and, if 

 rabbits are kept down, little if any planting need be done to 

 keep ash woods in a perfectly stocked condition. We have 

 always noticed that the existence of the wild garlic (Allium 

 ursinum) is an almost certain indication of good ash ground, 

 both tree and bulb appearing to favour the limey nature 

 of the ground, on which the latter at anyrate is invariably 

 found. 



In order to get the best returns from ash woods, care 

 must be exercised to fell the timber at the proper time. 

 This must neither be during the period of its most profitable 

 growth, which is usually between the fortieth and eightieth 



