CIO FOr.KST LITTER. 



veniovul of littor is more injnrions in warnier than in colder 

 cliinatcs. 



Similarly, the removal of litter becomes less injurious the 

 hij:lier the altitude at which forests are situated. 



(8) Species of Tree. 



No species of tree can of itself withstand the icmoval of littir 

 better than any other ; every species makes certain demands on 

 the productive powers of a locality, and if the removal of litter 

 interferes with its power of satisfying them, the vitality of the 

 tree must be impaired. The susceptibility of any tree to injury 

 by the removal of litter therefore depends only on the suitability 

 of the locality for its growth. 



For instance, if in a beech-wood, on a sufficiently moist and 

 fertile loamy sand, the removal of litter is introduced, its bad 

 results will ensue only after a long period of time ; if, again, 

 the usage be applied to a Scotch piiie-wood on a sloping hill- 

 side with a poor sandy soil, which is liable to become dry, 

 disastrous results may happen after a very few years, although 

 the Scotch pine is less exacting than the beech. It may there- 

 fore be asserted that for any species of tree the removal of litter 

 is less injurious, the better adapted the locality for the tree and 

 the less its fertility is dependent on the soil-covering of litter 

 and humus. The question is, therefore, purely one of locality, 

 and will be differently answered for any change in the latter. 



It should be noted that, for non-exacting species of trees, a 

 larger area is suitable than for exacting species. 



(e) A<ie of Woods. 



Kemoval of litter is most hurtful to thickets and young pole- 

 woods, also to a wood in the period of maturity immediately 

 preceding regeneration. Although there is less direct danger to 

 high poles and trees, it cannot l)e said that they are uninjured 

 by the practice. 



In the case of thickets and other very young crops, the plants 

 are chiefly rooted in the sui)erficial soil-strata; all loss of 

 nutritive matter from the removal of litter must therefore be 

 severely felt. 



In mature woods the demands on the soil arc moderate, but 



