338 NOTES ON BRITISH FOHKST TREES. 



c. llfjiriuliiiHrc Pitinr. 



Alder begins to seed fully at the age of about 2o years ; the 

 crops of seed are heavy, and they occur about every three 

 years. On the whole the energy of reproduction by seed is 

 moderate. The reproductive power from the stool is strong 

 and enduring; the tree chiefly produces stool shoots. 



/". i 'liKiiirlrr and ( 'iiii//io,^iliiiii <>f ]VoO(h. 



Pure woods of alder are found in moist or wet localities, 

 where a sheltering of the ground is either not essential or 

 even undesirable. It is also found in mixture with other 

 species, especially with asli, birch, elm, or oak, generally 

 occupying tlie moister parts of the woods. 



//. Sijirinillunil Syslcms. 



Alder is mostly treated as coppice, either by itself or as 

 underwood under standards. It is also found in high forest ; 

 in that case rarely pure but generally in mixture with other 

 species. As coppice it is treated under a rotation up to 40 

 years ; in high forest under one of 50 to 80 years. Coppice 

 slioots reach about the same height as seedling trees. 



//. FarindlUni nf Wuoda. 



Alder woods are generally formed by planting, and then 

 either coppiced, or, if treated as high forest, replanted. The 

 plants are sometimes raised from cuttings and layers, but 

 generally from seed. 



The seed ripens in October, and falls from November until 

 spring. It maintains its germinating power for about one 

 year ; if 80 per cent, germinate, it is considered good seed, 

 but frequently a much smaller percentage is lit to germinate. 

 One pound contains about 800,000 seeds. 



For direct sowings about 15 })ouiids of seed would be 

 required i)e)" acre, but su(di sowings are rarely made, ; the 



