38 THE AFFORESTATION OF SURPLUS LAND. 



in Germany now-a-days grown only in mixture with other 

 species, especially beech. In the meantime, the figures given 

 for Scotch pine apply, approximately, also to larch. 



The matter, then, stands thus : We require at the age of 

 40 years the above-mentioned numbers of clean stems, and 

 the question is, how many plants should be put in, to produce 

 them, and at the same time shelter the ground sufficiently. 

 Here several matters must be considered. Spruce, though at 

 first somewhat slow, does not develop very strong side branches, 

 while the early thinnings are practically of no value, except where 

 Christmas trees are saleable ; hence 2,700 plants (4 ft. x 4 ft.) 

 are sufficient to produce 1,100 clean stems at the age of 40, 

 provided the thinnings are done sparingly up to that age. 

 The same holds good for Douglas fir and even ash. Closer 

 planting increases the cost considerably, and does not lead to 

 appreciably better results. For lurch a planting distance of 

 4 ft. X 4 ft. is quite sufficient, and the thinnings can be 

 fairly heavy, even below the age of 40 years, because that tree 

 wants a good deal of growing space, without developing 

 strong side branches. Beech requires somewhat more pushing, 

 and 4,000 plants to the acre are indicated, when that tree 

 is not regenerated naturally or by sowing the beech nuts in 

 situ. Oak and Scotch Pine have a tendency to develop strong 

 side branches ; hence they must be kept dense during youth ; 

 not less than 4,000 plants to the acre are required, and 

 thinnings must be very sparingly carried out up to the age of 

 35 or 40 years. In order to reduce the expenditure, the best 

 plan is to sow the seed of both species in situ, or, if this is 

 not possible, to plant one or two years old seedlings. In the 

 case of oak, there should be 8,000 one year old seedlings to the 

 acre, and they can be planted with a planting peg or the 

 vertical notching spade. (See figures 65, 70 and 71, at 

 pages 215 and 217 of Volume II. of my Manual, third edition.) 

 I am of opinion that most, if not all, of the old oaks (say more 

 than a hundred years old) in this country have been raised 

 either from naturally fallen acorns, or from acorns sown in 



