THE SILVEK FIR. 355 



as it has the same shape and approxnnately the same height 

 growth. Silver fir, being deeper rooted, protects the spruce 

 from being thrown by storms. Another most excellent 

 mixture is silver fir and beech, as they make similar 

 demands on the locality. Oak in mixture with silver fir 

 does well, provided the former has a decided start to prevent 

 being outgrown. Silver fir is a very useful species for under- 

 planting oak, larch, and Scotch pine, when these species 

 commence to thin out, while they afford to the young silver 

 fir the necessary shelter against late and early frosts and 

 drought. 



//. Sijlvicultnral Systems. 



Silver fir is only adapted for high forest, more particularly 

 for the shelter-wood systems with natural regeneration by 

 seed. If grown on blanks it requires nurses to protect it 

 against frost and drought while young. It may be seen 

 occasionally as standards in coppice, but this is not advisable, 

 owing to its dense foliage. As it does not reproduce from the 

 stool, it cannot be grown as coppice ; it makes, however, good 

 hedges. 



Silver fir is generally worked under a rotation of 100 to 

 140 years. 



//. Fonniitioii of Woodx. 



Silver fir is, even more than beech, adapted for natural 

 regeneration under a shelter- wood. Direct sowing and 

 planting should be done under a shelter- wood ; if this is 

 not available it must be supplied artificially, otherwise the 

 young trees will suffer from late and early frost, and possibly 

 also from drougbt and insects. 



The seed ripens in September to October, in England 

 towards the end of the latter month. As the seed falls at 

 once, the axis of the cone alone remaining on the tree, the 

 cones should be gathered as soon as ripe. Tbe seed rarely 

 keeps its germinating power for more than six or seven 

 months. If 40 per cent, germinate it is considered good seed. 



A A 2 



