BRITISH FOREST TREES 177 



regard to the formation of their root system, but they 

 are frequently found in natural mixed forests showing good 

 development ; this is especially the case in forests varying 

 in soil-quality, the shallower, moister, or poorer parts being 

 often found covered with patches or groups of spruce, 

 these being spots where the beech is less likely to thrive. 

 Although at first beech is more rapid in growth, it is on 

 moist soils usually about the tenth year overtaken by the 

 spruce, which then generally remains predominating through- 

 out the later stages of growth ; on dry soils, however, 

 it not infrequently happens that the shade cast by the 

 young seedling-growth of beech interferes so much with the 

 development of the spruce, that this is unable to develop its 

 characteristically energetic growth in height, and is con- 

 sequently suppressed. Where either species wins any 

 decided advantage over the other, it uses it to suppress the 

 latter as much as possible. To derive the maximum of 

 advantage from the mixture, it is therefore best to admix the 

 two species, to as great an extent as convenient, in circular 

 groups of about a quarter to half an acre in area, so that 

 no matter which gains the advantage in growth, the other is 

 still protected sufficiently by its own species to maintain 

 itself partially till maturity. When the spruce is scattered 

 individually among the beech, its tendency to injure the 

 latter can of course be diminished by the removal of the 

 undermost branches with the saw, a measure, however, 

 that is difficult of application on any very extensive scale. 

 The introduction of the spruce in rows has also practically 

 the effect of suppressing the beech to a great extent unless 

 the rows are planted out wide apart. In the formation of 

 mixed forests of beech and spruce, it is well to assure to 

 the former some growth in advance before the latter is 

 introduced, and this is perhaps best attained by reproducing 

 the beech naturally first, and then planting up all blanks 



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