APPLICATION OF THE METHOD. 85 



able, and is in great demand with bakers, tile-makers, 

 potters, &c. 



BOTATION. To obtain the maximum of usefulness 

 from the Scotch pine it must be allowed to attain a 

 girth of seven to eight feet since the sapwood has to 

 be rejected ; this will occur, according to conditions 

 of growth, at the age of 180 or 200 years. But 

 whenever decay is to be feared it will be more pru- 

 dent to fell it younger, at about 120 or 140 years. 



REGENERATION. In lofty mountainous regions it is 

 often impossible to treat the Scotch pine on a regular 

 system, but in the plains, at a low elevation and on 

 sheltered ground, it adapts itself well enough to the 

 application of the method of thinnings. The 

 greatest difficulty in its treatment arises from the 

 fact that the soil is not well protected, owing to the 

 light cover, and gets hard and cakey, or, if sandy, 

 becomes covered with broom, bilberry bushes and 

 ling. But this is easily remedied. 



Whenever, then, the regeneration of a forest of 

 Scotch pine is taken in hand, the primary cutting 

 must be made open, since the seed is light, and the 

 constitution of the tree hardy ; that is to say, the 

 intervals between the crowns of the reserve must be 

 three or four yards. In selecting the reserve prefer- 

 ence should be given to those trees that have a well- 

 developed head; their roots are more vigorous in 

 proportion, and they are then not so easily blown 

 down by the wind. But, at the same time, it is 

 essential to prepare the ground for the reception of 

 seed. To this end all bilberry and ling bushes must 

 be removed ; wherever the slope of the ground is not 



