BRITISH FOREST TREES 165 



hundred and twentieth, when the final clearance of the parent 

 standards takes place. 



The principal treatment accorded to the beech is growth 

 in high-forest with natural reproduction, the total area under 

 beech being divided into four blocks representing respec- 

 tively the areas on which are to be found the portions of the 

 growing stock 0-30 years, 30-60 years, 60-90 years, and 

 90-120 years, or averaging 15, 45, 75, and 105 respectively, 

 counting from the middle of the period of reproduction. 

 Growing in closed canopy, the beech here develops a long, 

 smooth stem well adapted for technical purposes. 



As coppice, beech cannot be compared with the oak, 

 either in regard to reproductive capacity, or as to energy of 

 growth of the stool-shoots. In copse or stored coppice it is 

 often to be found among the underwood, especially on limy 

 soils which stimulate its development; but usually, owing to its 

 comparative unremunerativeness, it is encouraged there mainly 

 with a view to protect and improve the soil for the benefit 

 of the standards of oak, ash, and the like. For standards 

 in copse it is not at all naturally suited, on account of the 

 dense shadow thrown around by its close, heavy foliage. 

 This increases with advancing age when trees are grown 

 in the full enjoyment of light and air, for as a standard it is 

 prone to branch development ; at the same time it does not 

 bear well the removal of branches, whose loss might in- 

 crease the already existing danger of scorching or sunburn 

 and might directly affect the quality of the timber for all 

 technical purposes. Where a good market for fuel exists, the 

 most advantageous rotation for beech as coppice is twenty- 

 five to thirty years ; but coppice is only advisable where the 

 soil is good, and, under the ruling principle that forestry in 

 Britain must be guided by purely financial considerations 

 and actuarial calculations, the preference would be almost 

 sure to be given to some more remunerative crop. 



