PROFITABLE TIMBER TREES 109 



is possible, while the oak at Is. per foot is not worth more 

 than 50 per acre. In such cases, or any other of a like 

 nature, it is obvious that spruce may be useful in turning 

 land to account which cannot grow more profitable species, 

 either by reason of its waterlogged subsoil, or its extreme 

 shallowness, as on rock or hard gravel. Few foresters would 

 plant spruce if they could grow something better, but, when 

 it rests between a heavy crop of this tree and a meagre and 

 stunted growth of something else, common sense favours the 

 former. 



However badly spruce may sell in the timber market, it 

 can always be turned to account in the estate sawmill. 

 Kafters for out-buildings, fencing poles, rough planks for 

 wheeling barrows on, poles for scaffolding, etc., create a 

 constant, if limited, demand for home-grown spruce, and for 

 such purposes it is well worth 6d. per foot, and for certain 

 purposes even more. A limited area of land stocked with 

 this timber is not such a great misfortune therefore after all, 

 the main point being to grow it thick and close from the 

 start, and thin slowly and sparingly throughout. In mixtures 

 it should either be grown with beech, hornbeam, silver fir, 

 or Menzies spruce, or be mixed with quick-growing light- 

 demanders, which keep it in subjection until a late age ; but, 

 as already said, clean spruce must not be looked for in mixed 

 plantations of light-foliaged trees. 



THE MENZIES SPRUCE (Picea sitchensis). 



This tree may almost be termed the Douglas fir of wet 

 soils. Its rate of growth on damp cool soils is extremely 

 rapid, and it might well take the place of spruce, or be 

 mixed with it on those heavy soils mentioned in connection 

 with that tree, although it probably makes its best growth on 

 damp but porous soils of a peaty nature. Like spruce, it 

 must be grown clean to be of any commercial value, and 

 until it can be produced at a cheaper rate it is not likely to 

 be planted close enough on a large scale to effect this. 



