30 THE AFFORESTATION OF SURPLUS LAND. 



management, for which I must refer the reader to my "Manual 

 of Forestry," especially Volumes II. and III. On this occasion 

 I can offer only short remarks on the afforestation of mountain, 

 heath and other waste lands, and on a few selected types of 

 woods as they now exist in the country. 



1. Soil and the Selection of Species, 



Many varieties and qualities of soil are found on the 

 mountain and heath lands ; hence the selection of the proper 

 species to plant, in the first instance, is of the highest import- 

 ance. No general rule can be laid down, and the selection 

 must be made on the spot in each case. There is, however, 

 a fundamental rule which runs thus : "Never attempt to plant 

 a species which is not thoroughly suited to the locality, in other 

 words, which is not likely to thrive in it" 



Every disregard of this rule is likely to lead to financial 

 loss. It is quite astonishing how often the rule is sinned 

 against* Sometimes the planter has not a sufficient under- 

 standing of what species is most likely to thrive best in a 

 given case. This shortcoming must be met by proper instruc- 

 tion. In other cases the planter has developed a fancy for 

 a certain species, and proceeds to plant it under all conditions. 

 This is a most disastrous failing, which the forester must 

 combat with all his might. The subject of selection must be 

 approached with an open mind, and all personal fancies must 

 absolutely be put on one side. 



Different species make different demands on the locality, 

 not only as regards the chemical, but also, and chiefly so, 

 the physical conditions of the soil. Hence, foresters divide 

 the species according to their demands on the fertility of the 

 soil. Some species, such as sycamore, ash, oak and elm, to 

 do really well, require a fertile soil ; others, such as chestnut, 

 beech and silver fir, are somewhat less exacting ; next come 

 Norway maple, lime, alder, larch and spruce; less exacting 

 again are willow, poplars, birch, Weymouth, Scotch and 

 Austrian pine. As a general proposition it may be said, that 



