BRITISH FOREST TREES 205 



occasionally adopted where the danger from rank growth 

 of grass is not to be feared. As the light-loving oak requires 

 no early shade, and is not apt to suffer from frost and 

 weeds, standards are by no means essential to its well being ; 

 but when parent trees of full maturity show a good acorn 

 or mast year, natural reproduction is often most satisfactory, 

 as well as being the cheapest method of regeneratioti. 



The formation of oak coppices frequently takes place 

 by planting three-year-old transplants, the leading-shoot 

 being removed close to the ground as soon as ever the roots 

 have established themselves. A preference is in many places, 

 however, given to the use of four-year-old transplants, the 

 leading shoots being removed close to the roots, and only 

 these latter planted out. The reproduction of the coppice 

 woods is accomplished naturally by the growth of stool 

 shoots, which spring more plentifully, and form roots for 

 themselves more easily, when the cut is made smooth and 

 close to the ground, so that hardly even a short neck is 

 visible ; where stools die off here and there, fresh ones are 

 planted in their stead. 



For the production of standards in copse, and for the 

 maintenance of a due supply of good stems of the various 

 age-classes grown from seed, and therefore better likely to 

 thrive to a ripe old age than stool-shoots, it is usual to 

 plant up small groups here and there with large transplants, 

 and to protect them as far as possible against being inter- 

 fered with too much by the surrounding coppice-shoots 

 and softwoods of quicker growth. 



Artificial formation and reproduction of oak takes place 

 both by sowing and planting, the preference being determined 

 to a great extent by local circumstances ; as a rule these 

 more frequently demand the adoption of the latter method, 

 sometimes, too, with strong transplants, and at considerable 

 outlay. Where one has free choice in the matter, sowing 



