so CIIAKACTKIJ AND CoMI-OSITIoN (»F WOODS. 



tliH sliade hearinp; species, tliou<j;h more mimerous than the 

 fonner, piiietically take the secoml place in importance. The 

 light demanding species wliicli deserve special mention in tliis 

 place are :^Larch, Scotch pine, oak, ash, sweet chestnut, elm, 

 hirch, aspen and willow ; also the lime, Norwa}' maple and 

 SN'camore, which stand about half-way between light demanding 

 and shade bearing species. 



(I. Mi.rhircs. in lli<ili Forrsl. 



(1.) Larch in iiii.ittiir iritJt Hltadr hcarin;/ spaicH. — Larch and 

 npnicc. — If the two species are of the same age, the larch goes 

 ahead at once and leaves the spruce behind. On soil which 

 suits the larch, the tree will not l)e caught up by the spruce 

 before the 40th or 50th year or even later, when they will 

 grow up together, provided the spruce has not been killed 

 by the larch before that time. On localities which are less 

 suited for larch, the spruce will catch it up much earlier, 

 by the 15th to *25th year, pass and suppress it, so that it 

 gradually disappears. In such cases the larch must be 

 given a start, the result being an uneven aged wood. The 

 best method is, 1o raise larch pure, and to bring in the 

 spruce wlien grass begins to replace the moss, that is to 

 say, at the age of 15 — 30 years. When the spruce has 

 established itself, all larches, which are not lil^ely to develop 

 into fine trees, should be removed. 



It is well known how much larch suffers from cancer when 

 grown outside its natural home. Until means have been 

 found by which that disease can be prevented, the only way 

 to reduce the damage to a minimum is, to isolate the larch 

 trees, by mixing them with another species, for which spruce 

 is fairly well adapted, though not as well as silver fir and 

 beech. 



Larch and silrcr jir. — This is a better mixture than larch 

 and spruce, as silver fir stands more shade than spruce ; the 

 ultimate height growth is much the same. As silver fir requires 

 better soil than spruce, the larch thrives admirably in all 



