198 FORESTRY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. 



timber trees, more particularly oak, ash and larch ; hence 

 mixed woods, in which these species form a prominent feature, 

 are indicated in Britain, in preference to pure woods. 



The next question is, how should such mixtures be arranged? 

 Unfortunately, no rational answer has been given to it by many 

 British foresters during the last two generations. Instead of 

 following the good old plan and the ordinary laws of nature, 

 as exhibited by older woodlands, modern foresters conceived 

 the idea of cramming together on the same area about as 

 many species as they could think of. Light- demanding and 

 shade-bearing, quick-growing and slow-growing, spreading and 

 conically-shaped, tender and hardy, conifers and hardwood, 

 liave been mixed together anyhow, without any reference to 

 the habits and requirements of the several species in mixture. 

 The natural consequence has been that the more aggressive 

 species, especially conifers, such as larch, Scotch pine and 

 spruce, took the lead and, being frequently unchecked by the 

 hand of the forester, ousted the better kinds of hardwood and 

 more particularly the oak. Only too many plantations of this 

 kind can be seen in the south of England, as well as in the 

 Midland counties, where the trees, which were originally 

 meant to serve as nurses for valuable hardwoods, have 

 actually killed the latter, or crippled tliem to such an 

 extent that they have become useless. " The nurse has 

 devoured the baby." It is indeed time that we return to 

 more simple methods, that is to say, to mix only species 

 which are in every way suited to each other, and to mix and 

 treat them so that each has a chance of fulfilling the ol>ject for 

 which it is reared. 



3. llie Density of Forest Croj^s* 



In the previous section special attention has been drawn to 

 the necessity of growing a forest crop so that tlie fertility of 

 the soil is preserved, if not increased, and that the most 

 valuable class of timber is produced. The question may 



• See Vol. II., third edition, pages 14it, 174, an<l 2><\^, of this Manual. 



