ARTIFICIAL FORESTS OF EUROPE 
only after the completeness of age. In 
the older portions the one distinguish- 
ing characteristic is simple dignity. 
To this one quality all other points of 
excellence or beauty conform and ad- 
just themselves. The young tree or 
the casual shrub that may have found 
_its way into the company of the cen- 
tenarians, is welcome; but the absorb- 
ing interest lies in the noble grandeur 
of the old trees that have grown up 
together. Some, under the influence 
of better soil or more light, have done 
better than others; but they are all 
sound and stately trees, and together 
represent the best product of the forest. 
Long ago other trees that grew in 
their midst, but were less promising, 
were removed for the sake of these. 
Under their continuous roof of foliage 
159 
