30 FOREST SYSTEMS 



On poor, dry, exposed, sandy or gravelly soils, even-aged 

 compartments of Scots or Corsican Pine grown on a short 

 rotation are practically the only timber crops that can 

 advisedly be grown. 



However, for the growth of Oak, Ash, and Larch, this 

 method is not so suitable as two-storied high forest ; and if 

 the land is too dry for underplanting, it is too dry for the 

 growth of good Oak, Ash, or Larch, unless indeed the two 

 latter are grown on a very short rotation. Even-aged 

 mixtures of Oak, or Ash, or Larch, with the shade-enduring 

 trees will give perhaps the greatest outturn in timber, but the 

 shade-enduring trees must be such that they do not overtop 

 or suppress the light-demanding trees. 



The system of high forest -with standards cannot be 

 recommended. Financially, it will seldom prove remunera- 

 tive to leave the trees for a double rotation. The only crop 

 to which it is at all suitable is the Oak, but there is a great 

 tendency for the trees to become stag-headed and to throw 

 out numerous epicormic branches all along the stem. 



Now, on poor soil, or in exposed places or wherever the 

 conditions for the growth of timber are inimical, some system 

 should be adopted, if possible, which avoids clear cutting the 

 whole area. 



With even-aged compartments of high forest, it is often 

 possible to obtain natural regeneration under a shelter wood 

 of mother-trees (or artificial regeneration may be adopted) ; 

 but the greatest shelter and protection is obtained under the 

 group system and the selection system. However, only 

 shade-bearing trees can be grown under these two systems. 

 Under the selection system, the maximum amount of shelter 

 and protection is obtained, and there is at all times a certain 

 amount of covert for game. But the timber produced will 

 usually be somewhat tapering and not of very high technical 

 quality. 



Under the group system, the advantages of shelter and 

 soil protection which exist under the selection system, are 

 retained, but there will be a larger proportion of trees of 

 good technical quality, especially if the groups are large. 



