THE OTHER HARDWOODS 163 



trees they show signs that, except on good, fresh 

 land, they then require a considerable amount of 

 light to thrive well. Though not so emphatic 

 as oak, ash, or elm in their demand for light, 

 they are neither of them, not even the sycamore, 

 capable of bearing shade so well as the beech. 

 This becomes apparent if the interior of the 

 crown of foliage be examined, when it will usually 

 be found that what looks like density as viewed 

 from outside is rather due to the completeness of 

 the exterior foliage than to any great production 

 of leaves within the crown. The density of 

 foliage is superficial rather than real and solid. 

 On poor, somewhat dry land the requirements 

 for light become of course more marked than on 

 good moist land ; but in many of the oak groves 

 and copses a free admixture of maple and syca- 

 more will often be able to protect the soil much 

 in the same manner, though perhaps not alto- 

 gether to the same degree, as beech ; and wherever 

 this may be the case, the maples are more likely 

 to yield a fair profit than the beech. When such 

 woods are being coppiced, the maples should be 

 stubbed close to the ground, as the soft stools 

 are otherwise apt to decay prematurely. As they 



