BRITISH I- 1 >kl-.sr I REES 57 



needles (formerly called spines in old works on woodcraft) 

 remain on for three years, whereas on the poorer localities 

 often only one-year-old sprays bear foliage, short in growth. 1 



Scots pine is one of the deep-rooted species of trees, and 

 develops a strong tap-root in good deep soil ; where the 

 latter is wanting in depth or strength the side-roots expand 

 in growth, and when soil-moisture also fails, surface 

 roots are extensively developed. On shallow lime, or coarse 

 sand with unfavourable subsoil, and on moors, the otherwise 

 deep-rooted Scots pine becomes a shallow-rooting tree like 

 the spruce. When abnormal and excessive root-production 

 is induced by poverty of soil, the crown still remains com- 

 paratively small, but ample for assimilating scanty food. 



Requirements as to Soil and Situation. Among the forest 

 trees there is no species whose demands are so moderate as 

 those of the Scots pine in regard to soil and situation, 

 although for the natural development of its tap-root the 

 deep, loose, sandy soil found on plains formerly forming the 

 bed of the sea is that most favourable. On hard, binding 

 soil the growth of a normal root-system is interfered with 

 which often leads to fungoid disease ; on stiff loam the 

 growth in height suffers, and on shallow rocky soil there is 

 decided tendency towards malformation of the bole. 

 Between extremes, however, there are many gradations of 



1 Hurckhardt, Siien nnd Pflanzcn, 1880, p. 237, gives the following 

 details as to defoliation : Whilst the larch bears foliage only in summer, 

 breaking into leaf, however, early in spring, the other conifers usually 

 retain their needles for the following periods : 



Scots and Weymouth pines 2 3 years. 



Austrian and maritime pines .... 3 4 



Cembran and mountain pines .... 4 5 

 Spruce ; Abies balsamea^ alba and nigra 5 7 



Silver fir 6 9 



Yew 712 



Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo} 10 15 



