78 CHAKACTEU AND COMPOSITION OF WOODS. 



(li.) Silver lir protects spruce against storms in after life. 



{(-.) Spruce, when mixed \Yith silver fir, is somewhat less 

 exposed to damage by insects and siunv. 



(d.) The annual production of wood per acre is increased. 



(2.) Silrcr fir and hccch. — They differ in shape but make 

 very similar demands on the locality. ]ioth are highly shade 

 bearing. Beech grows somewhat more quickly in youth but 

 more slowly in after life. During the former period silver 

 fir, and during the latter beech, must be somewhat assisted, 

 or the mixture arranged by groups. Both species thrive 

 better in mixture, which is altogether an excellent one. 



(3.) SpvHce and hecch. — They differ in shape, and make 

 somewhat different demands on the locality, especially in 

 respect of the degree of moisture and depth, spruce requiring 

 more moisture, and beech greater depth. Nevertheless, soil 

 which is suited for beech, will also do for spruce, but not 

 always the reverse ; in the moister parts spruce should pre- 

 dominate, and in the drier parts beech. Both are shade 

 bearing, spruce less so. The rate of lieight growth is a 

 more serious matter. During youth beech grows sometimes 

 more quickly, but in other cases the spruce ; later on the spruce 

 is the faster grower; theymust be protected accordingly, the one 

 against the other. On the whole, beech is more in danger of 

 being suppressed than spruce, because under ordinary cir- 

 cumstances the latter is more pushing and aggressive. Spruce 

 is onl}' threatened in localities which are specially suited to 

 beech. 



Beech has a most beneficial eft'ecl upon spruce in respect 

 of danger from wind, snow, insects, and lire. At the same 

 time, beech produces finer boles in this mixture, than if grown 

 pure. AVhere beech timber is little in demand, it should not 

 occupy more than about \i\\ of the area against .^ths occupied 

 by the spruce. 



(4.) Beech and hornbeam. — This is a mixture of subordinate 

 importance. The timber of hornbeani is frequently more in 

 demand, but Ijeech yields a larger volume. Hornbeam grows 



