BRITISH FOREST TREES 171 



much lighter than they are now, the future market for good 

 classes and qualities of home-grown timber seems well 

 assured, and every endeavour should be made sylviculturally 

 towards producing them in the finest dimensions and of the 

 highest technical quality. And the finest growth of the oak can 

 undoubtedly be obtained where it receives the benefit of that 

 soil-protection which can be so well prvoided by the beech. 



Both species resemble each other to a considerable extent 

 in regard to rate of growth, tree-form, and demands made 

 as to soil and situation. But in admixture with the beech, 

 the oak has all the advantages to be derived from close 

 canopy, protection of the soil from insolation and from the 

 drying effects of winds, rich fall of leaves to form humus, 

 and has also an improved development of the bole, more 

 especially to be noted in the case of the sessile oak. On good 

 deep soils of the lower uplands and undulating plains of 

 southern England (New Forest) this mixture is frequently 

 to be found occurring naturally, although artificial assistance 

 is usually necessary to protect the oak against the beech. 



The most important point is, indeed, to maintain the oak 

 in advance of the beech throughout the whole period of its 

 existence, for as a light-loving species it can only attain its 

 finest normal development so long as the upper portion of 

 its crown is in the undisturbed enjoyment of light and air, 

 and is secured against the dense, suppressive side-shade of 

 the beech. On most classes of soil the oak is, from the 

 very earliest period, of somewhat quicker growth in height 

 than the beech, and in warm localities with long periods of 

 vegetation and genial summer temperature, it as a rule 

 maintains the advantage thus early won, except where the 

 soil ultimately proves so deficient in depth or in soil- 

 moisture, that the natural conditions requisite for the normal 

 development of its root-system are wanting. But where 

 these conditions are secured, the admixture of the oak may 



