Supplement  to 
212 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  14,  1901. 
Tlie  New  Forestry. 
“  The  New  Forestry  ”  embodies  an  appeal  by  one  of  the  oldest, 
most  experienced  and  competent  British  foresters,  for  the  introduction 
of  the  German  forestry  system  into  Great  Britain.  This  may  be  said 
to  summarise  the  main  object  of  what  must  be  regarded  as  an 
exceedingly  interesting  and  really  valuable  book  of  200  pages.  Over 
and  over  again  the  author  deplores  the  deadly  lack  of  any  strict 
system  of  general  practice  in  British  forestry ;  the  neglect  of  working 
forestry  plans,  and  the  absence  of  anything  in  the  shape  of  methodical 
rotation  of  cropping.  The  irreconcilable  differences  of  opinion  among 
professed  experts  in  British  forestry,  is  expressed  as  one  of  the  greatest 
etumblingblocks  to  success.  This  book  aims  at  supplying  a  guide  to 
the  owners  of  small  estates  and  their  foresters,  to  whom  the  larger 
works  on  forestry  do  not  apply.  Referring  to  the  drawbacks  to  good 
forestry  in  this  country  the  author  believes  that  muoh  lies  in  the  fact 
that  there  are  a  large  number  of  small  estates  on  which  the  extent  of 
wood  is  too  small  to  employ  a  skilled  forester,  and  which  are  neglected 
accordingly.  This  is  precisely  our  own  opinion.  We  are  told  that 
German  forests  exist  under  climatic  and  geological  conditions  so  similar 
to  those  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  that  the  advanced  German 
systems  can  be  completely  applied  i.  our  isles;  but  while  few  would 
disagree  with  these  opinions,  we  think  that  sufficient  stress  is  not  laid 
on  the  fact  of  the  scattered  and  unconnected  ownership  of  our  home 
forests.  While  British  forests  are  parcelled  out  into  hundreds  or 
thousands  of  properties,  each  owner  having  opposite  desires  and 
purposes  to  that  of  his  neighbours,  German  forests,  on  the  other  hand, 
are  enormously  extensive,  and  are  largely  managed  by  Government. 
Mr.  Simpson  rightly  points  out  that  Continental  forest  officers  are  a 
much  better  trained  class  of  men  than  British  foresters  are,  and  more 
thoroughly  equipped  in  the  theory  and  practice  of  their  business.  This 
again  would  result  from  their  ampler  opportunities. 
The  gamekeeper  grievance  is  somewhat  fully  discussed,  and  what 
Mr.  Simpson  says  must  surely  be  fully  corroborated  by  all  who  are  in  a 
position  to  form  an  opinion  on  the  subject.  He  instances  the  barking 
of  young  trees  by  labbits,  and  of  the  restrictions  put  upon  the  forester 
on  the  gamekeeper’s  side,  owing  to  the  breeding  and  rearing  of 
pheasan  s.  He  suggests  (and  we  endorse  his  remarks)  that  the 
forester  should  have  absolu  e  control  over  all  forest  lands;  and  that 
the  woods  and  game  departments  might  be  combined,  and  managed 
under  one  intelligent  and  responsible  head.  These  and  kindred  matters 
make  this  book  valuable,  as  at  least  showing  the  average  person 
the  lines  on  which  improvements  will  have  to  be  made.  Brown’s 
“Forester”  receives  somewhat  extended  and  severe  criticism;  and  as 
“The  Forester5'  has  been  the  generally  acknowledged  exponent  of 
British  practice  from  times  far  back,  the  reader  anxiously  seeks  for  the 
advantages  professed  by  “  The  New  Forestry.”  Reduced  to  practice  it 
is  stated  that  “  the  new  system  consists  in  the  division  of  the  forest 
into  areas  and  compartments,  in  which  the  timber  crops  are  regulated 
on  a  strict  rotation  system,  according  to  the  species  ;  in  the  reproduc¬ 
tion  of  crops  by  seeds,  or  by  plants  raised  in  the  forest  nurseries  from 
seed,  and  planted  out  small ;  in  planting  thickly,  so  as  to  cover  the 
ground  speedily  ;  in  crowding  the  trees  judiciously  at  all  stages,  so  as 
to  secure  height  growth,  and  clean  cylindrical  trunks  ;  and  in  thinning 
sparingly  at  long  intervals.”  The  rotation  periods  would  differ 
according  to  the  species  of  tree  grown.  “  It  is  found  that  Scotch  Fir 
and  Spruce  reach  their  most  useful  dimensions  at  one  hundred  years  of 
age  or  thereabouts.  Beech,  mixed  with  other  hard  woods,  is  allowed 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  years;  and  the  Oak  one  hundred  and 
fifty.”  The  aversion  to  having  capital  locked  up  in  standing  timber 
(and  its  risks)  for  these  long  periods  is  another  of  the  causes  which 
deter  the  advance  and  improvement  of  British  forestry,  as  English 
landowners  seem  to  prefer  speedy  returns. 
Mr.  Simpson  elsewhere  in  his  book  deals  with  the  question  of  pure 
and  mixed  forests ;  where  to  plant  timber  trees  ;  and  the  most  suitable 
species  for  different  situations.  “Speaking  generally,”  he  says,  “the 
rule  fcr  planting  timber  should  be  to  plant  where  no  other  crop  would 
be  as  valuable.  This  is  practically  the  rule  in  Germany,  the  difference 
in  that  respect  between  that  country  and  our  own  being  marked.  In 
the  cultivated  regions  of  Germany  lying  near  the  mountain  rangep, 
where  the  climatic  conditions  are  similar  to  our  own,  the  best  land  is 
devoted  to  agiicultural  crops,  no  room  being  found  even  for  fences, 
shelter  belts,  Or  hedgerow  trees,  and  the  farmer  pushes  his  corn  and 
other  crops  up  the  mountain  side  as  far  as  he  can  do  with  advantage, 
and  no  further.  Where  his  crops  end  the  forest  begins,  the  trees 
looking  at  a  distance  as  if  dovetailed  into  each  other.” 
A  chapter  is  devoted  to  an  explanation  of  the  general  scheme  of 
management  throughout  all  woods  on  an  estate.  Good  working  plans 
provide  a  safeguard  both  to  the  proprietor  and  his  agent,  making  the 
woik  easier  and  cheaper,  and  promote  order  in  every  department. 
To  facilitate  reference  the  whole  of  the  wooded  area  should  be  mapped 
out  on  paper.  “The  words  ‘wood,’  ‘forest,’  or  ‘plantation’  should 
By  John  Simpson,  Pawson  &  Brailsford,  High  Street  and  Norfolk 
Street,  Sheffield, 
be  applied  only  to  such  planted  tracts  as  are  not  separated  by  fields 
or  fences,  and  the  different  divisions  of  such  woods,  whether  dis¬ 
tinguished  by  age  or  species,  should  be  indicated  in  the  register  by 
letters  of  the  alphabet.”  Examples  of  such  maps  and  indexes  are 
furnished  in  the  book.  The  other  points  specially  dealt  with  under 
this  heading  are  : — 1,  Period  of  rotation ;  2,  choice  of  species  suitable 
for  the  locality ;  3,  cultural  methods  to  be  adopted ;  4,  control  and 
general  management. 
Altogether  the  book  is  essentially  a  useful  one,  and  we  trust  that 
many  of  the  principles  it  advocates  may  be  practised  by  those  in 
possession  of  smaller  estates  in  this  country. 
{Continued  from  page  179.) 
Cupresius  Lawsoniana. 
It  would  be  difficult,  perhaps,  to  name  a  Conifer  more  widely 
known,  or  easily  grown,  tnan  this.  It  is  found  in  the  valleys  of 
Northern  California,  where  it  rises  to  a  height  of  100  feet,  and  was 
introduced  into  this  country  in  1854,  seeds  beiDg  sent  to  Messrs. 
Lawson  of  Edinburgh.  This  Cypress  is  perfectly  hardy  in  our 
climate;  it  grows  rapidly,  is  easily  propagated,  and  seeds  freely, 
producing  cones  in  abundance.  It  is  a  handsome  ornamental  tree; 
the  branches  are  numerous  and  well  clothed  with  foliage  ;  the  leading 
annual  shoots  are  drooping,  slender,  and  regularly  disposed,  forming 
symmetrical  pyramids  of  rich  green  spray,  or  graceful  pillars  of  plumes 
and  feathers,  particularly  pleasing  when  studded  with  the  varying 
coloured  catkins  in  spring  and  the  cones  in  autumn.  The  latter  are 
borne  in  great  profusion,  and  are  about  the  size  of  large  Peas. 
C  Lawsoniana  is  one  of  the  best  trees  for  the  planter  to  take  in 
hand.  It  is  not  particular  as  to  the  kind  of  soil,  but  appears  to  thrive 
best  in  rati  er  a  moist  situation,  is  good  to  transplant,  and  may  be 
used  for  almost  every  purpose  for  which  Conifers  are  planted.  It  may 
be  propagated  with  great  rapidity  either  by  seeds  or  cuttings.  There 
are  many  varieties.  Perhaps  one  of  the  most  distinct  is  erecta  viridis; 
the  foliage  is  of  a  lighter  and  brighter  green  than  the  species.  As  its 
name  implies,  it  is  one  of  the  erect  forms,  and  has  a  tapering  habit. 
There  is  a  glaucous  form,  and  one  with  quite  a  blue  tint,  glauca 
coerulea.  The  young  growths  of  some  are  white,  others  yellow,  as 
well  as  variegated  forms.  There  are  also  dwarf  forms,  such  as  nana, 
nana  alba,  and  nana  glauca.  I  am  not  quite  sure  about  Cupressus 
macrocarpa,  but  have  a  tree  that  I  believe  to  be  macrocarpa.  There 
are,  I  find,  two  forms  of  it,  a  spreading  and  an  upright  one.  Tne 
one  alluded  to  has  the  branches  nearly  erect,  and  the  tree  is  broadly 
conical,  and  growing  .almost  in  the  form  of  a  bush  Two  other 
interesting  Cypresses  are  C.  funebris,  the  Chinese  funeral  Cypress,  and 
C.  sempervirens,  the  upright  Roman  Cypress,  but  with  these  I  am  not 
familiar. 
Pimis. 
This  is  the  most  important  genus  of  any  belonging  to  the  order, 
and  perhaps  the  most  valuab  e.  One  of  the  best  known  and  most 
useful  of  all  the  Pines  is  P.  sylvestris,  the  Scotch  Pine.  This  is 
generally  planted  as  a  forest  tree,  but  a  few  well  grown  specimens 
about  the  grounds  or  small  clumps  in  the  park  are  not  to  be  despised. 
There  are  many  forms,  some  of  which  are  quite  unsuitable  for 
ornamental  planting.  Closely  related  to  P.  sylvestris  is  P.  montana ; 
indeed,  it  is  said  by  some  authorities  to  be  a  variety  of  it.  It  is  also 
known  as  P.  Mughus  and  Pinus  Pumilio.  It  varies  greatly  in  habit, 
according  to  the  situation  in  which  it  is  found.  In  very  cold  situations 
it  is  a  dwarf  shrub,  whereas  with  more  shelter  it  attains  to  the  size  of 
a  low  bushy  tree.  The  leaves  are  dark  green,  it  flowers  early  and 
produces  cones  abundantly.  It  is  most  useful  for  growing  on  banks, 
or  wherever  it  is  desirable  to  carper  the  ground  with  a  low  growing 
shtub.  It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  peg  the  branches  down  in  the 
first  place.  This  plant  will  thrive  in  very  cold  and  windy  situations. 
The  wood  is  very  inflammable,  and  is  used  as  torch-lights  by  the 
inhabitants  of  the  countries  where  it  is  produced. 
The  Corsican  Pine,  Pinus  laricio,  is  remarkable  for  its  rapid  growth 
when  young,  and  it  frequently  attains  the  height  of  140  feet.  The 
leaves  are  lrom  4  to  6  inches  long,  of  a  dark  shining  green  colour, 
often  twisted,  the  branches  are  shorter  and  more  upright  than  the 
Austrian  Pine.  It  is  a  most  useful  and  ornamental  species,  is  not 
particular  to  the  kind  of  soil,  but  it  should  be  well  drained,  and  it 
is  quite  hardy.  This  is  a  suitable  tree  for  planting  in  maritime 
situations,  high  or  low.  No  Pine  is  less  exposed  to  the  depredations 
of  insects  and  vermin,  or  the  attacks  of  fungi  and  other  sources  of 
Injury  to  the  trees  of  this  genus. — Pinus. 
(To  be  continued.) 
