FORESTRY PRACTICE ‘ i > : A £■* Forestry Commission ARCHIVE FORESTRY COMMISSION: BULLETIN No. 14 LONDON: HER MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE « = >,<s?T PRICE 5s. 6d. NET FORESTRY COMMISSION BULLETIN No. 14 FORESTRY PRACTICE A Summary of Methods of Establishing Forest Nurseries and Plantations with Advice on other Forestry Questions for Owners, Agents and Foresters Seventh Edition 1958 LONDON: HER MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE 1958 FOREWORD T h is Bulletin was originally conceived in 1933 by the late Sir Francis Acland, who was then a Forestry Commissioner, with the object of making available to landowners and others concerned with private estates the experience and knowledge gained by the Commission’s staff. It does not purport to be a formal textbook covering the whole science of forestry, but rather a handbook of those operations that the average landowner, his agent, or his forester, have to tackle most frequently. As Acland pointed out, no printed account can provide a complete substitute for the information and advice that an owner may gain from an actual inspection of his woods by a professional consultant or by one of the Commission’s staff concerned with advisory work. But much useful knowledge, and a host of facts required for reference, can be set down in print. Over the past twenty-four years, six editions of this Bulletin have been issued, and the necessity for a full revision, to take account of the many recent developments, had become apparent. This work was entrusted, in 1956, to a group of Research Branch officers who augmented their own experience and knowledge with that held by other members of the Com­ mission’s staff. This present edition is, therefore, very much the outcome of team work, though certain people have been mainly responsible for particular sections. In particular, Mr. R. A. Aldhous and Mr. R. Faulkner have covered the subject of nursery work, Mr. G. G. Stewart has dealt with the formation of new plantations, Mr. P. F. Garthwaite with the replanting of former woodland, and Mr. A. D. Miller with the manage­ ment of coppice. The section on protection against diseases has been re-drafted by Mr. T. R. Peace, that on protection against insects by Dr. Myles Crooke, and that on protection against fire by Mr. H. L. Edlin; while Mr. E. G. Richards has written the chapters on the utilisation and preservation of timber. The general editing has been carried out by Mr. H. L. Edlin, under the supervision of Mr. James Macdonald, Director of Research and Education. FORESTRY COMMISSION, 25 Savile Row, London, W .l. February, 1958. CONTENTS PAGE PAGE PART I : NURSERY WORK C h a p t e r 8. P r e p a r i n g L a n d f o r P l a n t in g .... 32 C h a p t e r 1. E stablishing a F o r e s t Bare L a n d.............................................................. 32 N u r se r y .... 1 D r a i n i n g..............................................................33 Heathland and Woodland Nurseries . 2 F e n c i n g.............................................................. 34 C h a p t e r 2. T h e G r o w i n g of S e e d ­ Table of Fencing Specifications . 35 l in g s .......................................... 3 Supply of S eed............................................ 3 C h a p t e r 9. E stablishment of P lanta ­ Preparation of the Ground . 4 tions ......................................................37 Preparation of Seed for Sowing . 6 Planting M ethods.............................................37 Sowing and Covering the Seed . 6 Time of P lan tin g.............................................38 Care of S eedlings................................... 7 Age and Type of Plant .... 38 Weed C ontrol............................................ 8 Handling of P lan ts.............................................39 Lifting and GradingSeedlings. 9 Organisation of Planting.... 40 Undercutting Seedbeds .... 10 Use of Fertilisers at Time of Planting . 40 C h a p t e r 3. R a i s i n g T r a n s p l a n t s S p a c i n g ..............................................................40 FROM S E E D LI N G S . 11 Beating u p ..............................................................41 Supply of Seedlings for Transplanting . 11 W e e d i n g..............................................................41 Time of Transplanting .... 11 Drain M aintenance............................................ 41 Preparation of Ground .... 12 Lining O u.............................................................. t 12 C h a p t e r 10. T r e a t m e n t o f F o r m e r Bedding O u..................................................... t 14 W o o d l a n d .... 42 Weeding Transplant Lines . 14 Woods already Cleared .... 42 Lifting and Grading Transplants 15 Woods invaded by Coppice, Scrub, or Packing, Transport, and Storage . 16 Young Seedling Trees .... 42 Natural Regeneration .... 45 C h a p t e r 4. M a n u r in g a n d M a n a g e ­ m e n t ......................................................16 M a n u r in g.............................................................. 16 C h a p t e r 11. T r e a t m e n t o f C o p p i c e 45 M a n a g e m e n...................................................... t 17 Simple Coppice ..................................................... 45 Coppice with Standards .... 47 C h a p t e r 5. V egetative P r o p a g a t io n Coppice for Paper Pulp and Fibreboard 47 for P oplars and W illows 18 Conversion of Coppice to High Forest . 48 C h a p t e r 6. N u r ser y P r o t e c t io n 19 C h a p t e r 12. T h i n n i n g . 48 PART II : PLANTATION WORK Preparatory Measures . 48 Classification of Trees . 49 C h a p t e r 7. C h o o s in g t h e L a n d a n d P ro c e d u r e............................................ 50 t h e C r o p .... 20 F re q u e n c y............................................ 50 Selection of Land for Planting . 20 G rades of Thinning.... 50 Selection of Species to Plant . 20 Choice of Grade .... 52 Tabular Notes on Individual Species: . 23 Stocking Densities .... 52 Most Commonly Used Conifers 23 Table of Stocking Densities . 53 Other C onifers.............................................25 D r a i n a g e............................................ 53 Principal Hardwoods . 28 Treatment of Individual Species . 53 Hardwoods of Limited Forest Value . 29 A. Conifers: Pure Crops . 53 Pure Crops and Mixtures . 31 B. Hardwoods: Pure Crops 55 Methods of Mixing .... 31 C. Mixtures ................................... 57 v CONTENTS PAGE PAGE C h a p t e r 13. D iseases .... 58 C h a p t e r 17. U ses of T im b e r . 76 Diseases due to Non-Living Agencies . 58 C h a p t e r 18. T im b er P reservation . 79 Fungal and Bacterial Diseases. 59 Timbers Used in Direct Contact with Nursery Diseases .................................59 the G r o u n d..................................................... 79 Diseases of General Importance in Wood Used Outdoors but not in Contact the F o r e s t ......................................... 60 with the G round...................................82 Diseases of Conifers .... 60 Wood Used Indoors................................... 83 Diseases of Broadleaved Trees . 62 D e c a y ..................................................62 PART IV : MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION C h a p t e r 14. I n se c t P ests . 63 Introductory .... 63 C h a p t e r 19. T o o l s a n d A p p l i a n c e s 83 S e e d ............................................ 63 C h a p t e r 20. F o r e s t r y C o m m is s io n Nursery Pests .... 63 A s s is t a n c e f o r W o o d ­ Young Woods .... 64 l a n d O w n e r s ... 85 Older Woods .... 65 Technical A d v ic e.............................................85 Defoliators .... 65 The Dedication Scheme .... 85 Bark Beetles and Weevils . 66 Approved Woodlands Scheme . 86 C h a p t e r 15. F ire P r o t e c t io n . 66 Small Woods Planting Grants . 86 Planning Woodlands to Reduce Fire Scrub Clearance Grant .... 86 R i s k ..................................................67 Poplar Planting Grants .... 86 Equipment and Arrangements for Fire Thinning G ra n ts.............................................87 F ig h tin g..................................................69 Grants for Shelterbelts .... 87 Co-operation with Outside Agencies . 71 L o a n s.......................................................................87 Income Tax and Estate Duty on Wood­ PART III : UTILISATION lands .............................................................. 87 C h a p t e r 16. L ic e n s i n g of F e l l i n g APPENDICES and General Marketing I. L ist of F orestry C ommission P ub ­ Arrangements . 73 l ic a t io n s ................................................................88 L ic e n s in g..............................................................73 II. A d d r e s s e s o f C onservators o f Marketing Arrangements . 73 F o r est s e t c .....................................................90 P r ic e s ...................................................................... 75 III. F elling L icence A pplication F orm 92 vi PART I NURSERY WORK Chapter 1 ESTABLISHING A FOREST NURSERY I n this section of the Bulletin, the techniques vehicles in all weathers. A nearby water supply is currently used in Forestry Commission nurseries are desirable. outlined; they are not the only satisfactory tech­ Soil texture is the most important single factor niques but most have been found successful over a because it affects all cultural operations.