CONIFERS 193 



or Corsican Pine, is to clear cut strips of from 40 to 70 yards 

 wide, and allow the seed to blow on to the cleared portions 

 from trees on a neighbouring area. These strips should be 

 to leeward, with respect to the prevailing winds, of the trees 

 from which the seed is expected. As soon as one strip is 

 well seeded, and free from the danger of the Pine weevil, 

 another strip may be cleared, and so on. 



When grass and weeds appear, artificial aid must always 

 be resorted to ; the cheapest plan to adopt is to notch in 

 seedlings. If heather only cover the ground, it is not 

 detrimental ; in fact, in moderation it is somewhat beneficial, 

 unless, indeed, it grows very big. It will always be advisable 

 to plant the edges of these strips, if they lie on the shady 

 side of older trees, with some trees that will bear shade ; for 

 this purpose, Weymouth Pine is often very suitable. 



Larch could be regenerated in the same way. It would 

 be more likely to be successful on Northern aspects, but, 

 generally speaking, the seed does not ripen sufficiently in 

 this country to make it ever advisable. 



THE NATURAL REGENERATION OF THE SHADE- 

 BEARING CONIFERS. 



In this category may be included Silver Fir, Nordmann's 

 Silver Fir, Thuya gigantea, Douglas Fir, Cupressus macro- 

 carpa, Norway Spruce, Sitka Spruce, Sitka Cypress, and 

 Weymouth Pine. 



Before attempting the natural regeneration of these trees 

 on any considerable scale, it is necessary that more informa- 

 tion be forthcoming as to their seed-bearing capabilities in this 

 country ; and also as to the quality of the seed they will bear. 



For, though all these trees may bear abundant crops of 

 seed, it by no means follows that they will produce strong, 

 healthy plants. 



It may require centuries of acclimatisation before some of 

 them will produce seed in this country that can be relied upon. 



In reference to this matter, the greatest caution should be 

 observed when contemplating the growth from home-grown 

 seed of such trees, the climate, of whose native habitat, is 



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