y04 tp:ni)Ing of open avoods for lai{(;k timrkk. 



underwood of shade beurinj]; species. In temperate Europe, 

 oak, ash, ehn, hirch, and Scotch i)ine are the species specially 

 suited for the overwood, and beech, hornbeam, silver iir, 

 spruce, and in some cases Douglas fir, Weymouth i)ine, sweet 

 chestnut and hazel for the underwood. Sometimes the under- 

 wood is itself allowed to grow up into trees ; in other cases, 

 when consisting of broad leaved species, it is treated only as a 

 soil protection wood, and is periodically coppiced. Beech 

 makes the best underwood, as it bears much shade and 

 improves the soil more than any other species. Silver fir 

 comes near it. Hornbeam is best in frost localities. Spruce 

 should be used only in fresh localities, as on dry soil it may 

 cause the overwood to fall off in growth. 



Where the underwood is permitted to attain the size of 

 timber trees, it is cut with the overwood ; the latter may, how- 

 ever, ])e retained for two rotations of tlie underwood, thus 

 producing specially large timber. 



A few remarks on the tending of the more important species 

 will further illustrate the method. 



i. Oak as OvEiiwodi). 



A fully stocked oak wood is, when the projter time has 

 arrived, thinned rather heavily at frequent intervals, say 

 every 5 to 10 years, according to the locality ; during these 

 operations all trees with a tendency to lag behind are removed, 

 as well as ill-shapen and diseased trees. At the age of 30 to 

 60 years, according to circumstances, a specially heavy 

 thinning is made and the underwood started, beech being best 

 for the pur])ose. When the underwood has established itself, 

 say 10 to 15 years afterwards, another heavy thinning is 

 made, by which the remaining trees are isolated. Subse- 

 quently more thinnings follow, at moderate intervals, in the 

 same degree, as the oaks develo}) and llireaten to close up 

 again. 



It is estimated tiuit in this way about 50 oak trees per 

 acre can be made to reach a diameter in 120 vears, which 



