120 BRITISH FOREST TREES 



subordinate species along with other conifers ; and during 

 the pole-forest stage of growth deer sometimes peel the bark 

 to a considerable extent, though in this respect it suffers 

 less than spruce. In recuperative power, however, it far 

 excels spruce, and has even some advantage over Scots 

 pine. 



Sylvicultural Treatment of Silver Fir. Notwithstanding 

 its large timber production per acre (vide page 44), its fine 

 cylindrical growth, its high percentage of timber of the 

 largest assortments, and its other good qualities from a 

 sylvicultural point of view, opinions are divided in Germany 

 about the advisability of extending its cultivation in pure 

 forests on areas otherwise suitable for spruce. In the 

 warmer districts of southern Germany, where, according to 

 the custom of the trade, the prices of timber for export are 

 fixed with reference to the upper-end girths, its more full- 

 wooded stem gives it an advantage over the spruce ; but in 

 central Germany the area over which the silver fir forms 

 pure forest is less now than formerly, and there seems no 

 desire to' diminish the area under spruce in its favour, as 

 on the whole spruce yields better, stronger, and more durable 

 timber, which also fetches better prices in the open markets 

 within reach of export. 



Thus whilst in Britain actuarial considerations will natur- 

 ally point to the formation of pure forests of spruce rather 

 than pure forests of silver fir, other prudential considerations 

 will even more emphatically urge to the more frequent 

 formation of mixed forests, which not only (as already 

 mentioned at length in treating of the spruce) yield greater 

 quantities of timber per acre than either variety of pure 

 forest, but also ward off, or at any rate diminish as far as 

 possible, calamities to which spruce forests are unfortunately 

 liable, arising from snow and ice, violent storms, and the 

 devastations of insects. So far, too, from its natural zone 



