HIGHWOODS, COPSES, ETC. 287 
stores, &c., in the above suggestions might be 
increased by nearly a half; and mixtures of oak 
and ash might be calculated on a similar ratio. 
The better financial promise held out by ash, 
indeed, entitles it to the preference on the whole, 
not only because of the larger number retainable 
per acre, but also because, thus grown, it would 
reach its full maturity at 60 to 80, or at most 
100 years, whereas oak might often require 
at least 100 years. In many cases, and _par- 
ticularly on very limy soils, ash standards will 
reach maturity at about 50 to 60 years of 
age, when it must be. cut out before becoming 
‘black in the heart’ at the lower end of the 
stem, a disease which often soon spreads upwards 
to the main branches. Even on the loamy soils 
that suit it best, it will perhaps be found ad- 
visable to remove all the ash standards at the 
age of 60 to 80 years, leaving the oak to 
grow into old trees of 100 years of age. 
The young stems selected as stores, or 
‘standels’ as they used generally to be called 
long ago, should be of seedling growth, if 
available. In any case they should be straight 
and shapely, with a compact, high-set crown 
