ii2 OUR FORESTS AND WOODLANDS 



requirements of this tree for a large growing-space 

 during the second half of its life-period, renders 

 artificial assistance of some sort necessary. This 

 can best and most effectually be given by 

 means of providing an underwood for the pro- 

 tection and improvement of the soil. Where the 

 oak is grown scattered among a matrix of beech, 

 special measures of this sort are usually unneces- 

 sary ; but otherwise they must be undertaken, else 

 loss of capital will occur through deterioration 

 of the soil, which will affect both the future rate 

 of growth of the present still immature crop of 

 trees, and the whole well-being of the next crop 

 of timber that may be grown. 



The best kind of underwood is beech, so far as 

 the protection and improvement of the soil is 

 concerned ; but in most parts of Britain local 

 conditions will usually indicate ash, sycamore, 

 maple, hazel, and perhaps elm here and there, as 

 more likely to be profitable ; for in our humid 

 climate these, and particularly the sycamore, will 

 often bear so considerable an amount of shade 

 as to make it very suitable for such an under- 

 wood. Many of these will no doubt spring from 

 the stool when their stems are removed during 



