138 ENGLISH ESTATE FORESTRY 



In the case of mixed plantations, the main point supposed 

 to be kept in view is the development of the most valuable 

 species, or that one which is intended to form the main crop. 

 In the average mixed plantation, we doubt, however, if even 

 the planter himself could tell us what this is. If hardwoods 

 and conifers are mixed, the former are, by universal custom, 

 regarded as the principals, but for what reason none seem to 

 be very clear, beyond the fact that they are usually longer 

 lived. But longevity is not necessarily a virtue in a crop 

 which is expected to pay a good rent for the land occupied, 

 and which is probably cleared off long before its longevity is 

 put to the test. But even supposing hardwoods are regarded 

 as the most valuable members of the crop, it is more than 

 likely that there are about a dozen of them to choose from, 

 and one still has to decide which is to be the favoured one. 

 Probably most people would say, Choose the one which is 

 doing best ; but, as most practical foresters know, it is not 

 easy to say which particular species is doing best from an all- 

 round point of view. If we adopt vigorous growth as our guide, 

 then we are probably compelled to fix our choice on a com- 

 paratively worthless species, and one which has the further 

 disadvantage of being coarse and branchy, from having dom- 

 inated its neighbours from the start. If we try to select that 

 species which exhibits the greatest number of best-shaped 

 boles, we may find that a few individuals of most species will 

 stand the test, but that no species in particular possesses the 

 number requisite to make a full crop. If, again, the selection 

 is based upon the timber value of the species, then we may 

 find that particular species more or less crushed out before 

 the first thinning is arrived at, unless special precautions 

 have been taken to secure its welfare. 



It is evident that the thinning of indiscriminate mixtures, 

 on the principle of aiding the development of one species 

 only, is practically impossible, therefore, and we are compelled 

 to throw aside any definite system and follow the lead of the 

 planter by thinning indiscriminately. All well-shaped trees, 

 whatever the species, should be left as much as possible, 

 while those which are the reverse shall be taken out. It is 

 practically impossible to pick out all the so-called '' nurses " 

 alone, without reducing the proportion of well-grown trees 



