BRITISH FOREST TREES 285 



content itself with less than the favourable quantity of soil- 

 moisture. Loamy soils are in general best suited to the 

 chestnut, as they most frequently yield the conditions favour- 

 able for the development of its normal root-system, whilst 

 limes, for exactly the opposite reason, seem in general 

 unsuited to its growth. On the whole, however, it is not 

 exacting with respect to the mineral composition of the soil ; 

 granites, basalts, clay slates, and sandstones, can each of 

 them yield soils capable of affording it all the essentials for 

 successful growth and normal development. 



A mild, genial climate is necessary for the chestnut, and 

 even a somewhat high mean annual temperature if maturity 

 of the edible fruit is to be reckoned on ; the extreme of 

 summer heat is at the same time prejudicial to it, as may 

 be deduced from its preference for eastern rather than 

 southern exposures on hill-sides. It is a tree rather of the 

 uplands than of the valleys, more suitable for sheltered 

 localities than for situations exposed either to heavy winds 

 or to frosts ; mildness of climate exhibits its favourable 

 influence on the general energy of growth more in regard to 

 this than to any other species of our forest trees, particularly 

 in the matter of coppicing. Sheltered localities on low hill- 

 ranges and uplands, but avoiding the coombs and dells 

 where frost is first to come and last to leave, woodlands 

 bordering on the sea-coast, or within its equalising influence, 

 and unexposed situations in parks and ornamental clumps, 

 are the places where its cultivation is most to be recom- 

 mended. Grown as coppice, it often yields good results 

 and proves itself well adapted for forming an underwood 

 under standards of Scots pine, larch or oak. In general, 

 however, its success as a forest tree in Britain is somewhat 

 uncertain ; despite its many indisputably good qualities, it 

 must continue to receive more attention from an arboricultural 

 than from a sylvicultural point of view. It prefers the eastern 



