254 BRITISH FOREST TREES 



degree of winter cold. The moist air of mountain forests, 

 of damp valleys, and of the sea-coast, is beneficial to the 

 growth of both species, and is in fact almost a necessity for 

 the maple. The sycamore is more the tree of the hills and 

 uplands, where it prefers the cool, moist, northern and 

 eastern exposures, whilst the maple thrives best on the 

 plains or gentler slopes. 



For the production of good boles, a considerable measure 

 of mineral strength in the soil is necessary, and where this 

 fails, their growth is not satisfactory. Depth and penetra- 

 bility of soil are important factors demanded for the normal 

 development of their root-systems. A shallow soil, more 

 especially with stiff or rocky subsoil, is no suitable situation 

 for either maple or sycamore, although, of the two, the latter 

 can the more readily accommodate itself to a rocky soil 

 sufficiently fissured and broken to admit of the strong side- 

 roots penetrating deeply. Like the ash, both species make 

 higher demands as to mineral composition of the soil than 

 the beech, and differ also from the latter in not accepting 

 a due admixture of vegetable mould as an equivalent for 

 actual want of mineral strength. Sandy soils, pure limes, 

 and heavy clays are alike congenial to neither species ; their 

 best growth is attained on light loams, and somewhat clayey 

 limes not liable to be dried up. On the whole, the maple 

 is less exacting than the sycamore, and, except in hilly tracts, 

 deserves more attention than the latter for cultivation on 

 fresh loams, and moist sandy soils with a fair amount of 

 humus ; sour marshy soils are suited to neither species. 



In respect to soil-moisture, too, the maple is less exacting 

 than the sycamore, being able to accommodate itself more 

 readily to any excess of moisture on loamy flats, or to a 

 merely fresh soil on the uplands. Soil-moisture is, however, 

 as requisite as in the case of the beech, and the best growth 

 is obtainable where subsoil, as well as surface-soil, has an 



