HIGHWOODS, COPSES, ETC. 287 



stores, &c., in the above suggestions might be 

 increased by nearly a half; and mixtures of oak 

 and ash might be calculated on a similar ratio. 

 The better financial promise held out by ash, 

 indeed, entitles it to the preference on the whole, 

 not only because of the larger number retainable 

 per acre, but also because, thus grown, it would 

 reach its full maturity at 60 to 80, or at most 

 100 years, whereas oak might often require 

 at least 100 years. In many cases, and par- 

 ticularly on very limy soils, ash standards will 

 reach maturity at about 50 to 60 years of 

 age, when it must be cut out before becoming 



* black in the heart' at the lower end of the 

 stem, a disease which often soon spreads upwards 

 to the main branches. Even on the loamy soils 

 that suit it best, it will perhaps be found ad- 

 visable to remove all the ash standards at the 

 age of 60 to 80 years, leaving the oak to 

 grow into old trees of 100 years of age. 



The young stems selected as stores, or 



* standels ' as they used generally to be called 

 long ago, should be of seedling growth, if 

 available. In any case they should be straight 

 and shapely, with a compact, high-set crown 



