THE DENSITY OF FOREST CROPS. 201 



clean stems at the age of forty years, provided the thinnings 

 are done sparingly up to that age. The same holds good for 

 Douglas fir and even ash. Closer planting increases the 

 cost considerably and does not lead to appreciably better 

 results. For larch, a planting distance of 4 ft. X 4 ft. is 

 quite sufficient, and the thinnings can be fairly heavy, even 

 below the age of forty years, because that tree wants a good 

 deal of growing space without developing strong side branches. 

 Beech requires somewhat more pushing, and 4,000 plants as 

 a minimum to the acre are indicated when that tree is not 

 regenerated naturally or by sowing the beech nuts in situ. Oak 

 and Scotch pine have a tendency to develop strong side branches; 

 hence they must be kept dense during youth ; not less than 

 4,000 plants to the acre are required, and thinnings must be 

 ver}' sparingly carried out up to the age of thirty-five or forty 

 years. In order to reduce the expenditure the best plan is 

 to sow the seed of both species in situ, or, if this is not 

 possible, to plant one- or two- j^ear-old seedlings. In the case 

 of oak, there should be 8,000 one-year-old seedlings to the 

 acre, and they can be planted with a planting peg or the 

 vertical notching spade. (See Figs. 65, 70 and 71, at 

 pages 215 and 217 of Volume II. of this Manual, third 

 edition.) The author is of opinion that most, if not all, of 

 the old oaks (say more than a hundred years old) in this 

 country have been raised either from naturally fallen acorns, 

 or from acorns sown in situ. This is, without doubt, the best 

 way of starting oak woods, but where the acorns are likely to 

 suffer severely from mice, the next best thing is to plant one- 

 year-old seedlings. Such plants invariably develop better 

 leaders than plants put out when three or more years old. 

 Corsican and Austrian }>ines may be treated as Scotch pine. 

 Of Weymouth pine not more than 2,700 to 3,000 plants need 

 be put to the acre. 



The above remarks refer to the rearing of tine timber trees. 

 Where only poles or pit timber are grown, the thinnings before 

 the age of forty years are somewhat heavier, so as to produce a 



