100 PLANTING 



(2) The natural pruning of side branches is often very 



defective, and with many mixtures it is impossible to 

 produce clean straight boles. 



(3) Maturity is reached with different species at different 

 dates. 



Now, as regards the formation of mixed woods, the 

 mixtures may be either : 



(A) EVEN-AGED; 

 UNEVEN-AGED. 



(A ) Even- Aged Mixtures : There are very many ways 

 of mixing trees in an even-aged mixture, the three chief 

 ways being : 



(i) By single trees : that is, in a sporadic manner. 

 (ii) By alternate rows. 

 (iii) By patches or groups. 



(i) and (ii) Mixtures by Single Trees and by Alternate 

 Rows require the very greatest skill. Neither method will 

 give good results for all the trees unless the height growth 

 and the reciprocal pruning effect be similar. It is a common 

 practice to plant alternate rows of some hardy, quick-growing 

 trees along with some tender, slow-growing species ; the 

 hardy species are regarded as " nurses," and are cut out when 

 not required. But in such a case, the slow-growing, tender 

 species will seldom be well pruned. A better plan is to 

 plant at least 3 rows at a time (and often more) of the 

 tender species, and then a row of nurses ; for by this means 

 some of the tender species will be properly pruned, and the 

 pruning will continue after the removal of the nurses. But, 

 where possible, another excellent plan is to introduce any 

 tender species which will bear shade and many of them 

 w ill under the canopy of an existing crop of thinly foliaged 

 trees, and so make an uneven-aged mixture and bring about 

 the system of two-storied high forest. And if desired the 

 over-crop can be gradually removed and an even-aged forest 

 left. In such a case, however, it is imperative to plant a 

 large number of seedlings, so as to discount any damage 



