JOURNAL OF THE FORESTRY COMMISSION PRINTED I OR DEPARTMENTAL USE Forestry Commission ARCHIVE FORESTRY COMMISSION PUBLICATIONS Available at 31st May 1949 General Reports Annual Report for tire Year ended 30th September, 1947. (H.C.179). Is. 3d. (Is. 5 el.) Report by the Commissioners on Post-War Forest Policy, 1943. (Cmd. 6447). 2s. 0cl. (2s. 2d.) Supplementary Report, 1944 (Private Woodlands). (Cmd. 6550). 2d. (3d.) Report of the New Forest Committee. 1947. (Cmd. 7245). 3s. 6d. (3s. 8d.) Empire Forests and the War—Statistics prepared for the Fifth British Empire Forestry Conference, 1947. (70-547). Is. 0 d. (I.v. 2d.) Proceedings of the Fifth British Empire Forestry Conference, 1947. (70-559*). I Os. Or/. (10.v. 4r/.) Summary Report of the Fifth British Empire Forestry Conference, 1947. (70-530). I.v. Or/, (l.v. lr/.) Bulletins No. 8. British Bark Beetles. Arm.. 1926. (70-31-8). 3.v. 6r/. (3.v. Sr/.) No. 13. Studies on Tree Roots. Aug., 1932. (70-31-13). 3.v. bd. (3s. 8d.) No. 14. Forestry Practice. (Revised 1946.) (70-31-14-46). 2.v. Or/. (2s. 2d.) No. 15. Studies of Certain Scottish Moorlands in Relation to Tree Growth. May, 1933. (Revised 1947.) (70-31-15-47). 2.v. 6r/. (2.v. 8r/.) No. 16. Studies on the Pine Shoot Moth. July, 1936. (70-31-16). 1.v. Or/, (l.v. -2d.) No. 17. The Cultivation of the Cricket Bat Willow'. July, 1936. (70-31-17). 2s. Or/. (2,v. 2r/.) No. 18. Spring Frosts. JuK , 1937. (Revised 1946.) (70-31-18-46). 2.v. 6d. (2s. 8d.) National Forest Park Guides (Fully illustrated). Argyll. (70-506). l.v. 6r/. (Is. 8r/.) Forest of Dean. (70-521*). 2s. Or/. (2.v. 2d.) Snowdonia. (70-549*). 2s. bd. (2s. 9d.) Glen More. 2s. Or/. (2s. 2d.) Hardknott. 2s. Or/. (2s. 2d.) Booklets No. 1. Woodland Mosses (Fully illustrated). (70-516). 2s. Or/. (2s. 2d.) No. 2. The Dedication of Woodlands : Principles and Procedure. (70-516-2*). Is. Or/. (Is. 2d.) JOURNAL OF THE FORESTRY COMMISSION No. 20 • 1949 PRINTED FOR DEPARTMENTAL CIRCULATION BY THE FORESTRY COMMISSION 25 SAVILE ROW LONDON, W.l Ill CONTENTS Page EDITORIAL .... ...... vi Imported Seed. w. h . Ha m i l t o n .............................................................................................1 Laboratory Germination Tests for Forest Tree Seed. w . h . g u il l e b a u d 3 Breeding Forest Trees, j . d . m a t t h e w s . 5 The Elite Tree. m . v. e d w a r d s .... 9 A Device for Collecting Cones, r . j . je n n in g s . II The Storage of Beech Mast and Acorns (Silvicultural Circular No. 25). 12 Nursery Practice (Silvicultural Circular No. 21) .... 14 Manuring of Nurseries (Silvicultural Circular No. 23). 17 Nursery Practice (Silvicultural Circular No. 26) .... 27 Soil Sampling in Forest Nurseries (Appendix to Silvicultural Circular No. 2 6 ).......................................................................................................................32 The Treatment of Nursery Soils, s. m . p e t r ie .... 35 Acidification at Barcaldine Nursery, j . h . Th o m s o n . 38 Nursery Sowing Programmes and Yields, vv. h . g u il l e b a u d . 39 Selective Weed Killers in Conifer Seedbeds and Transplant Lines. g . d . h o l m e s .......... 42 Robinia pseudoacacia, w. g . g r a y ...... 45 Three Provenances of Maritime Pine in the Nursery, m . n im m o . 46 Recovery of Frosted Sitka Spruce Seedlings, w. m a c d o n a l d . 47 A Note on Australian Forestry, l o r d r o b in s o n .... 48 The Census of Woodlands— Some Impressions. J. L. f e r g u s s o n . 54 Notes on the State Forests in Lincolnshire, r . p a y n e . 56 Some Observations on the Halwill Moors, Devonshire, R.c. W e l l in g t o n 72 The Black Wood of Rannoch. a . w h a y m a n . 77 Millbuie Forest—Black Isle. w. m a c k a y 83 Cwmogwr Forest. Lil ia n m . jo n e s ...... 84 Selection of Species at Radnor Forest, c.E. p e a t y . 86 The High Elevation Experiment at Beddgelert Forest. R. d . p in c h in 92 Forestry and Amenity. E. w . m a r s h ...... 97 Natural Regeneration, d . w a t t ....... 99 Recent Direct Sowing Experiments on the Yorkshire Heathlands. j. w. l . z e h e t m a y r .......................................................................................................100 Vegetational Changes following the Afforestation of Calluna Heaths in Yorkshire, j . w e a t h e r e l l . .102 Mechanical Draining for Afforestation,d . r o ss . .104 Hints on Fencing, r . g . Mu r r a y ..........................................................................107 Protection of Forest Fences by Tarring of Netting, o.r . sa r sb y 108 Ploughing Plans, i. o. r o b e r t s o n ........................................................................ 109 iv Planting Bags. a . h . w . p y p e r . .111 The Suppression of Coppice by Weeding, b . r . h a m m o n d . 112 The Treatment of a Sheep-Damaged Oak Plantation at Nagshead— Forest of Dean. c. H. davies . .114 The Brashing and Thinning of Spruces and Douglas Fir. r . j . jennings 115 Recording of Thinning Yields in Plantations (Silvicultural Circular No. 2 2 ).................................................................................................. 120 Average Yields from Thinnings. J. w . ir v in e .128 Estimation of Volume of Main Crop from Thinnings in One-Tenth Acre Plots, j. n . r . j e f f e r s . .131 Crown Thinning. J. h . T h o m s o n ..... .136 The Use of Stand Density Indices for Describing Thinnings, f . c . h u m m e l . .137 O Tempora ! O Mores ! a . m . Ma c k e n z i e . .142 Treatment of Scots Pine Plantations in the Black Isle. J. a . d i c k s o n 143 Larch Plantations at Glentress Forest, t . a . r o b b ie and c. R. d i c k 145 Rapid Growth of Japanese Larch in Cornwall, d . g r a n t . 149 W hat is Hybrid Larch ? m . v . l a u r ie . 150 Height and Girth Assessment of the Parents of the Dunkeld Hybrid Larch, d . b . c r a w f o r d . .153 Observations on Ice-Damaged Douglas Fir at Kerry Forest, d . l . s h a w ....................................................................................... 154 Metasequoia glyptostroboides. c. a . c a r p e n t e r . .155 A Rough-Barked Beech, j . t . w i l d a s h . 157 Highland Birch. J. s. r . c h a r d .158 Three Fine Specimens of Oak in the Forest of Dean. w.T. w a t e r s 161 The Walnut, j . s. r . c h a r d . .164 Distribution of the Moss Thuidium tamariscinum in British Hardwood Stands, w . t . w a t e r s . .166 The Great Fire of Hattlich-Eupen, September, 1947. c. t e r w a g n e and A. A. ZUKOWSKY ........ 167 The Chirdon Fire. G. j . l . b a t t e r s ..... 172 Railway Fires and Preventive Measures. J. t . fitzherbert 175 Prevention of Fires Caused by Commission Employees (Director General’s Circular) . ....... 177 Fire Brooms, s. w a t k i n s . .... 180 Grey Squirrels at Savernake. j . t . w i l d a s h . .181 Vole Damage in the Border Forests, j . d . m a c n a b . .182 A Keeper’s Day. J. w e b s t e r . 184 Vermin Trouble, j . c h r y s t a l l . .186 Forest Ornithological Research in Britain. M. v. l a u r ie . .188 Ips sexdentatus, an Insect Pest Attacking Pine Plantations (Silvicultural Circular No. 24) ......... 190 Notes on the Die-back of European Larch, j a m e s Ma c d o n a l d 192 Coryneum Canker of Cypress, t . r . p e a c e . .199 Dying of Groups of Sitka Spruce, t . r . p e a c e and h . l . Loughborough 201 Bark Stripping in the Forest of Dean. w . h . m a r s t o n . 203 The Need for Care when Felling Timber, g . l e e s .... 205 Dragging Poles, d . w a t t ....................................................................................206 V Notes on the Weight and Volume of Green Wood of Scots and Corsican Pines (Note from Forest Products Research Laboratory) . 207 The Mechanisation of Forest Road Construction in Scotland, v.l . MULLOWNEY ..........................................................................................................208 Forest Roads and Extraction Costs, f . c . h u m m e l . .211 Preservation of Existing Natural Protection for Old Houses.H. w a l c o t 213 The Use of Aerial Photographs on Census Work. J. c h r y s t a l l . 214 Some Observations on Forest Maps and Records, w . f . s t o d d a r t . 216 The International Union of Forest Research Organisations, w.h . GUILLEBAUD . .218 European Commission on Forestry and Forest Products, Geneva, July, 1948. o. J. s a n g a r ....................................................................................221 Organisation and Methods at Conservancy Level. T. f a r m e r . 224 Permanent Instructions, t . f a r m e r . 229 The Estate Section, a . a . c o w a n . 232 Filing of Proof Slips. J. st e e l e .... 233 The Staff Suggestion Scheme (Secretary’s Circular) . 234 Sources of Information, h . l .