APPLICATION OF THE METHOD. 51 



Every endeavour should therefore be made to pro- 

 tect other kinds of trees that may come up spon- 

 taneously in the forest and even to introduce them 

 artificially the better kinds at least as soon as the 

 cover of the oak crop is sufficiently high. The beech 

 and the hornbeam, according to soil and climate, are 

 the trees most generally found in company with the 

 oak, and whose association is most favourable to the 

 latter ; in very damp situations where they cannot 

 follow the oak, their place is taken by the ash, alder, 

 elm, &c. 



The treatment of the oak associated with other 

 trees will be discussed further on. 



II. TEEATMENT OF HIGH BEECH FOEEST. 



HABITAT. The beech is met with in the plains as 

 well as in mountainous regions. It is found in abun- 

 dance in localities enjoying a cold or temperate 

 climate, grows less common as the climate becomes 

 milder, and disappears altogether in hot climates. 

 This is tantamount to saying that in the south of 

 France it is confined to hilly ground above a certain 

 elevation and on cool aspects ; it is not particular as 

 to the mineral nature of the soil, provided that it be 

 free and fairly moist. It attains its finest growth 

 on lime-stone and sandy soils. 



PECULIAEITIES OF GEOWTH. The seed of the 

 beech is heavy, its cover exceedingly dense, and its 

 young plant very delicate, being unable to withstand 

 either spring frost or great heat. The root, inclined 



