BRITISH FORKST TREES 125 



deeper and better soils than forests of spruce or of Scots 

 pine, larch would naturally find a more suitable home along 

 with the silver fir than with either of the other two conifers 

 forming pure forests. And where such opportunity is avail- 

 able the admixture of larch with the silver fir, either singly 

 or in patches or groups, is productive of excellent results, 

 the larch developing rapidly and healthily into fine stems, 

 whilst on good soil the silver fir maintains itself fairly well 

 under the light shade of the larch. 



Where forests of silver fir exist, Scots pine also thrives 

 uncommonly well in admixture along with it, and, though 

 still remaining a light-loving tree, is by no means so impa- 

 tient of shade as on the poorer soils where alone it is usually 

 to be found in pure forests. Stimulated by the deep moist 

 soil and the beneficial protective shade cast thereon by the 

 unbroken canopy of silver fir, it shoots up with a straight, full- 

 wooded bole, and though ultimately caught up in growth in 

 height by the latter, it can hold its place fairly well in the canopy 

 till about the hundred and twentieth year, when it may be re- 

 moved as a stem of fine dimensions and very good marketable 

 value. Even when no advantage in age over the silver fir 

 is given to it, its quicker development in early years secures 

 to it a substantial benefit, and all that is requisite later on is 

 some little attention when thinnings are being made during 

 the period of largest annual increment in height of the silver 

 fir, that is to say, during the pole-forest stage of growth of 

 the latter ; on good situations even this is unnecessary, as the 

 pine generally maintains the advantage it has won. On deep 

 fresh soils, where Scots pine has been planted pure on account 

 of temporary deterioration of the soil, the underplanting of 

 thirty to forty-year-old pole forests of pine with silver fir often 

 yields very excellent results, as the former gains immensely 

 through the soil being kept cool and moist, and the latter can 

 often thrive well under the light shade and grow up to form 



