THE SOFTWOODS 185 
copses and highwoods, where they often find 
growing-space in blank spots, and there seize hold 
upon the ground. Certainly, such portions of 
a crop are better than vacant patches producing 
nothing; but, in general, any sort of prevalence 
of sporadic birch and aspen in coppices, copses, 
or highwoods is more frequently the mark of 
slovenliness, neglect, ignorance, or apathy, than 
of the most profitable methods or of business- 
like management; though it is of course different 
if merely a few finely-grown birch stems are 
held over to form standards above a good thick 
underwood in copse, where oak or ash of suit- 
able size is wanting among the overwood. Aspen 
is less suited than birch for occupying such a posi- 
tion, as its bole often begins to become unsound 
before attaining the age of forty years. 
In certain cases, however, birch—and aspen 
and other softwoods also, where the wood can 
be sold to match or wood-pulp factories—may 
be grown profitably on poor land of rather a 
wet description, or on sandy soil where relief 
is desired from the dreary monotony of woods 
of Scots pine. If here planted in pure patches, it 
quickly shoots up in growth; but it soon begins 
