394 APPENDIX 



situated north of a line drawn between Grenoble and the mouth of the Gironde. It is 

 very common in the northern and eastern departments. While it will grow on all kinds 

 of soil, it shows a marked preference for fresh and deep ground. 



Tolerance. — The hornbeam, although it becomes quite hardy, has need of a nurse 

 tree during its youth, because of its shallow rooting and the consequent danger if the 

 soil dries out. It demands considerable light but not too much. On dry rocky soil, it 

 usually succumbs to exceptional drought. On the other hand, in all regards it shows 

 remarkable resistance to spring frosts. Its root system is weak and shallow. It is 

 composed of numerous lateral roots, but the tap root soon disappears and the root system, 

 as a whole, rarely extends deeper than 20 inches. Despite the shallow root system 

 suckers are rare, but it sprouts from the stump with great facility. In the forest of 

 Champenoux thickets of this species are so abundant that it is a serious obstacle to the 

 natural regeneration of oak. The hornbeam begins to bear seed at an early age, at 20 

 years or before. . . . The fruit of the hornbeam is a small nut which, on account of 

 its lightness, is easily distributed. It only germinates the second spring after it matures. 



Growth Longevity. — Its growth is always slow, being much less than that of the 

 oak or the beech. Sprouts, on the other hand, are quite rapid in growth for the first 

 20 or 30 years, when it slows down quite materially. Whatever its origin, whether from 

 seeds or sprouts, the hornbeam is always a secondary tree. It can live to 100 or 120 

 years and even exceed 150 years under favoral^le conditions, and when it is silviculturally 

 desirable to retain it in the stand. 



Wood Uses. — It furnishes firewood of the first quality, but it is not used for con- 

 struction purposes. . . . Notwithstanding its hardness ... it is useful for 

 the manufacture of miscellaneous utensils. . . . ■ 



Silvicultural Characteristics. — Hornbeam is only found pure in high forest because 

 of silvicultural errors. Due to its slow growth it is always dominated by species in 

 mixtures; as a secondary tree it is quite valuable as soil cover. Treated as coppice it 

 produces up to quite an advanced age (50 to 60 years) very abundant sprouts which 

 give good results. In proper situations it sprouts well, even under unfavorable condi- 

 tions, and it is thus owing to its presence that certain coppice on almost sterile soil 

 yields a considerable return. Its growth is too slow and its crown too low to enable it 

 to form with profit a standard in coppice-under-standards. ... It has the same 

 value as the beech as ground cover, but, of course, does not produce the same bole in 

 high forest. 



HOLM OAK 

 {Quercus ilex) 



Climate and Soil. — This southern species is rare on the Pacific Ocean but very 

 common on the shores of the Mediterranean from Menton to Ceret, from the sea, as 

 far inland as Digne, Sisteron, and Montelimart. It even extends as far north as Valina. 

 It seems to prefer, in France at least, calcareous soils and is abundant along the Medi- 

 terranean, except in the granite areas on the Maures and Esterel. . . . It is found 

 in the Alps and in Provence up to an altitude of 2,460 to 2,600 feet, and in the Pyrenees 

 up to 2,000 feet. 



Tolerance. — Holm oak is quite hardy and thrives on the hottest south slopes. Its 

 evergreen foliage is quite light and it sprouts up to an advanced age. 



Root System and Seeding. — It is anchored solidly in the soil and has strong lateral 

 roots. Is an early seeder; seed years occurring every 8 to 10 years; production con- 

 tinues abundantly and regularly up to an advanced age. 



Growth Longevity. — Its growth is very rapid during youth, but it never reaches 

 beyond the size of a third-class tree. It lives to be 300 years and more. 



