470 APPENDIX 



That a proper value may be placed on the following information, which may, in 

 part, seem remarkable to the German forest owners, it is not out of place to remark 

 that in the forests mentioned we perhaps did not see mean conditions as would appear 

 in an average of the whole country. By far the best conditions ' of site and stand of 

 the French government forests are there represented. If we would avoid an utter 

 misconception we must be careful not to regard foreign conditions too favorably, and 

 not to undervalue our own system of management. Ranges (Reviere) with good condi- 

 tions of site and stand are, indeed, as a rule, the best adapted to stud3dng critically 

 principles of management and their appUcation. Farts of ranges which, as far as the 

 minor resources of the soil and stand are concerned, are to be managed differently 

 from the predominating stands were also found, so that an idea can be gained from 

 these of other conditions where the poorer stands occur in greater numbers. 



The site factors of the forests visited are very favorable for the oak. The soil is a 

 deep loamy sand, for the most part sufficiently fresh. From ansdyses conducted in 

 various stands of the Berc6 forest the soil contains 0.23 per cent nitrogen, 0.12 per cent 

 potash, 0.04 per cent lime, 0.045 per cent phosphorus. In the pole forests and mature 

 stands there is very frequently found a cover of holly {Ilex, L.) which, in connection with 

 the beech which occius normally as an imderstory, improves the soil and prevents the 

 growth of other cover. The elevation above the sea reaches 328 to 656 feet. The 

 topography is mainly level or gently sloping. The climate, in accordance with the 

 geographical location and the altitude, is mild and suitable for the oak. The mean 

 rainfall is given as 27.6 inches. The greatest part occurs in summer so that ejctreme 

 drought is not to be feared. Late and early frosts, which have so disastrous an in- 

 fluence upon the height growth of the oak and the character of its wood, occur very 

 infrequently. All these circumstances work together to produce favorable conditions 

 for the growth of the oak. Optimum site conditions for the oak are here presented. 

 "Everything concurs to render the climate humid and essentially favorable for tree 

 growth," says Boppe, referring to this forest region. 



Of the two species of oak the sessile-flowered is of the more common occurrence in 

 the forest under discussion. Its growth and form are very good. The stands are 

 characterized in a general view by straight form, clear bole, and high (according to 

 our estimate); averages 65 feet from the ground, often higher. The crowns are very 

 narrow; the boles have a form like that of our softwoods (Gymnosperms). If an accu- 

 rate representation could be made of the proportions of crown and stem diameters a 

 result would be attained entirely different from that found in the case of the German 

 oaks. It is corollary to this that the basal area per hectare is very high. In certain 

 stands, running 180 to 220 years old, which were examined in this connection, a basal 

 area was determined of 474 to 485 square feet per acre, which is 50 per cent greater 

 than given for corresponding stands on first-quahty sites in the new German yield 

 tables.' The number of trees per hectare in mature stands 180 to 200 years old amounts 

 to about 200 (80 per acre) which is double the corresponding count in the tables cited; 

 the mean diameter 20 to 22 inches, the voltmie of a trunk 125 to 160 cubic feet. The 

 height of the older stands is mainly between 100 and 120 feet, individual trees being 

 even higher. It follows from this that the volume, also, of the stands must be very 

 high. Stands of more than 11,430, 12,860, and 14,290 cubic feet per acre, or about 

 67,500 feet board measiu-e per acre, with 50 cords per acre in addition, such as can 

 almost never occur in Germany because of the natural conditions of growth, are here 

 met with over large, continous areas. 



' Dr. Martin was shown exceptionally favorable conditions. — T. S. W., Jr. 



'Schwappach, Untersuchungen iiber die Zuwachsleistungen von Eichen-Hochwald- 

 bestanden in Preussen, 1905, S. 66. (Studies on the growth of stands of oaJ£ high forest 

 in Prussia, 1905, p. 56.) 



