20 PRACTICAL FORESTRY. 



cold. This shows that without investigation the one 

 cannot be judged from the other. 



It is seldom that the forester will have to deal with 

 the best and most fertile soils ; these are otherwise 

 profitably employed. He will be called upon to plant 

 hillsides, rugged slopes, poor soils, unremunerative 

 under the plough, cold clays, swamps, heath-lands, 

 and so on. He will have, in almost every instance, 

 to select his trees to the soil and site arbitrarily 

 chosen for him ; and herein will be the foundation of 

 future success or failure. 



Too much stress cannot be laid upon this important 

 initial step. Let him, by not recognising the class 

 of soil and its condition, or by choosing trees un- 

 adapted to the soil and site, fail in this respect, and 

 his reputation as a forester is lost. The money he 

 has expended will have been thrown away, and the 

 whole work brought into contempt. 



For instance, let him plant in a dry exposed site a 

 spruce fir, and what is the result? A tree not known 

 to its species. On the other hand, let him plant a 

 spruce in its natural habitat, a low-lying damp spot, 

 free from stagnant water, and he will have a tree 

 which will delight future generations. 



Again, let him plant the soft-wooded, fast-growing 

 trees, on poor soils and in exposed sites, and what 

 will he obtain ? Stunted and distressed specimens of 

 noble trees. When if he plants the same on \vrll- 

 chosen soils, he will secure those lovely specimens 

 which go so far to render our woods and glades such 

 centres of beauty. 



Site and soil in this respect run together, and he 



