OAK AND ASH 191 



Good seed years can be foretold in the case of Beech, and 

 to some extent in the case of Oak, by the thickening of the 

 future flowering buds in the autumn and winter ; it is more 

 common after hot summers. 



THE NATURAL REGENERATION OP OAK AND 

 OTHER TREES. 



A pure Oak forest, mature and ready for the axe, will 

 seldom be found in good forestry, but it will often be found 

 mixed with Beech and other trees. If the Oak be evenly 

 distributed, it may sometimes be advisable to attempt re- 

 generation of a pure Oak wood. About 25 trees will be 

 enough to leave per acre for the shelter wood ; but, when the 

 young crop is covering the ground, they must be quickly 

 removed, for the seedlings are intolerant of shade. By the 

 end of 6 years, all the shelter trees should be removed. 



All big branchy Oaks should be removed at the seeding 

 felling, leaving only those that have clean stems, and crowns 

 which are not too spreading. 



Once in 3 or 5 years a good Oak seed year usually comes, 

 and it is necessary that the acorns get well buried by I to 2 

 inches of soil covering. The removal of trees at the seed 

 felling will effect this to a great extent ; otherwise raking by 

 hand or other cultural operations must often be resorted to. 



It is an excellent plan to turn pigs on to the land for a few 

 months. 



On soils of average or inferior quality, natural regenera- 

 tion is often successful ; whereas, on the best soils containing 

 more moisture, and on southern aspects, the growth of rank 

 grass often proves too troublesome. 



If success is not achieved at the first good seed year, 

 artificial means should be adopted at once. 



The Natural Regeneration of Ash is rare over any 

 extensive area ; but in many cases it can be very profitably 

 resorted to, as it produces abundance of seed very frequently. 

 If, however, it has been grown in a mixed wood, it must 

 often be cut before the other trees, as it is mature at about 

 65 to 70 years of age ; and if it has been grown pure and then 



