THE NEW FORESTRY. 69 



The bulk of timber in each tree is, of course, in proportion 

 to the , height. With these general remarks, we shall now 

 deal with the question of elevation more particularly. 



Our mountain ranges and hills represent by far the greatest 

 extent of our waste-lands which it is desirable to afforest, and 

 present almost every variety of soil and aspect up to between 

 two and three thousand feet, above which it is perhaps not 

 desirable to go, generally speaking. It is not so much a ques- 

 tion of soil as temperature and aspect, and probably jail our 

 mountain ranges in England would grow timber-trees to their 

 summits, or nearly so, if the species were judiciously selected ; 

 while in Scotland, even in, the north, some species might be 

 expected to succeed up to two thousand feet. In glens and 

 ravines, which are always more or less sheltered, success need 

 not be doubted ; but it is not desirable to encroach on alluvial 

 bottoms of good land anywhere. 



For the purpose of comparison, let us glance at the forests 

 on some of the continental mountain ranges. Beginning with 

 the Hartz Mountains, in about the same parallel as Norfolk, 

 and travelling north to a point in Norway considerably beyond 

 the most northern point of Scotland, we find the mountain 

 ranges to a great extent covered to high elevations with 

 spruce, Scotch fir, beech, birch, alder, and other species. The 

 Hartz Mountains are almost entirely covered with (forests to 

 their summits, over three thousand feet high in many 

 instances ; even the Brocken, about four thousand feet high, 

 being clothed to its top or nearly so. In .Norway, a country 

 much resembling Scotland in climate, only colder, spruce, 

 Scotch fir, and birch grow up to the snow-line, and in the 

 upper valleys of the high ranges, too high for any other form 

 of cultivation, the best spruce and Scotch fir is produced that 

 is exported from Norway. What, therefore, might not be 

 attempted in the same direction in this country, where the 

 conditions are more favourable ? In fact, numbers of small 

 plantations are to be found, scattered here and there at high 

 elevations all over Britain, that show well enough what is 

 practicable on a large scale. The following list of well-known 

 species, brought together from Professor Schlich's " Sylvi- 

 cultural Notes," in his " Manual of Forestry," vol. ii., gives the 

 elevations at, which they grow more or less successfully: — 

 Species. Elevation. 



Beech 1,200 feet, Derbyshire. 4,500 feet, Alps. 



Hornbeam 1,200 „ Hartz. 3,000 ,, Alps. 



Oak 1,500 „ England. T >35o ,, Highlands. 



