THE NEW FORESTRY. 157 



first to last. Plate No. 3 and frontispiece represents mature 

 forest of splendid timber of this description, and it may 

 be explained here that the spray seen between the 

 firs (No. 3) and below their tops is not composed of 

 dead snags left on the firs, but is from the beech trees 

 sixty feet high growing in the dense shade. Whether, 

 therefore, the thinner is dealing with a conifera or hard-wood 

 plantation, he will find the above rule a safe one to go by. 

 In pure woods, or woods composed of a few species of similar 

 habit, he will not have much difficulty in thinning, but in indis- 

 criminate mixtures of any species, such as are often found on 

 estates, he will have trouble if the number of species has to be 

 preserved in any proportion. In such a case he must make up 

 his mind to one of two courses. Either he must give up the 

 ground to the stronger growing species and sacrifice the weaker 

 as they get overtopped, or he must be constantly on the watch 

 to prune the dominant species in order to equalise the struggle ; 

 and this means trouble in tending and a considerable loss of 

 crop in the end. Mixtures of the conifera species alone, or 

 broad-leaved species alone, are bad enough when they differ 

 greatly in habit and rate of growth, but mixtures of both 

 classes are worse, because the pinus family of the Scotch fir 

 type cannot endure much shade, and there are a number of 

 hard-woods that soon smother them in a mixed wood. In all 

 cases, the margin of the plantation, especially on exposed sides, 

 should be left dense in order to shut out cold currents. The 

 width of this margin will depend on the kind of plantation, 

 firs of the Austrian species being the best, as regards habit, 

 for a close fence ; but, as a rule, it will suffice if the trees are 

 the same at the sides as in the rest of the wood, provided the 

 margins are not thinned. . Where it will grow, the Douglas fir, 

 planted close in one or two lines, forms a high and close barrier 

 against winds ; and near the sea the willow is almost as good. 



SECTION III. — EXECUTION OF THE WORK. -FIRST THINNING. 



Assuming that the man appointed to the work of thinning 

 fully comprehends what is wanted, he should first mark the 

 trees that are to be removed, beginning at the northern boun- 

 dary of the plantation and working southwards so that the sun 

 will not be in his eyes. Entering at one side, and taking a 

 strip or section of convenient width next the aforesaid 

 boundary, he should, with a slash from a billhook, mark all the 

 trees to come out on their south side, and as high up as he can 



