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IRISH FORESTRYJournal of the Societyof Irish ForestersPublished Twice YearlyVolume 29 No.2 1972 50p

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IRISH FORESTRY:CONTENTS(A uthors alone are responsible for mews expressed)COVER: See page 56Office Bearers and Councillors .... .. ... .. .... .. ... .... .... ..... 2Editorial3Articles:Some Forestry Problems in the European Communityby X. Le Chatelier .... .. .. .. .................. .... .......... 4The Respon,e of Sitka Spruce to Sulphate of Ammoniaand Ground Rock Phosphate on Peatby E. P.P Farrell and D. M.M cAleese .. .... .... ...... .. 14Labour Cost Trends in Forest Nurseriesby J. J. Deasy .............. ........................ .. .. ...... 29Some Patterns in CropUnthinncd Sitka Spruceby G. J. GallagherStructure and Productivity forTrees, Woods and Literature-7 ................... ...... .. .... .. ... 53Meetings:Peat Congress, Helsinki; Land Use, Blessington.......... .. 54Notes and News:Cover Photograph- Aerial Fertilization-CastlewellanArboretum- Coming of Age- Peat, the New RawMaterial ........ ....... . ... . ............... ............ ............. ... 56New Members .. ..... .. .... ... ....... .. ...... ... ...... ........ ....... ... .. 59Obituary:A. M . S. Hanan (1923-1972) .. ...... ... ..... ....... ..... ........ 60Reviews:The Pruning of Trees, Shrubs and Conifersby O. V. Mooney... ......... .... .... ....................... .. 62Conifers in the British Isles: a Descriptive Handbookby J. F. Durand ........ . .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . 64Other Publications receivedSociety Activities:Thirtieth Annual General Meeting- Council Report for1971- Accounts for year ended 31st December, 1971-Public Business-Annual Study Tour 1972 ... .. ............. 663365

Society of Irish ForestersPresident :W. H. JACK, 37 Bladon Drive, Belfast 9.Vice-President:J. F. DURAND, "Sequoi>aJ", 121 Arnold Park, Glenageary,Co. Duhl!in.Secretary:J. P. CoNNELLY, c/o Roywl Dublin Society, BwHsbridge, Duhlin.Treasurer:F. MULLOY, Site 14 Roahestown Avenue, Dun Laoghaire,Co. Duhlin.Editor:N. O'CARROLL, 12 Mapas Road, Da1lkey, Co. Dublin.Business Editor:M. SHARKEY, "Kylemore", Hyde Park Avenue, Blackrock,Co. Dublin.Hon. Auditor:D. M. CRAIG, 85 Harcourt Streelt, Duublin.Technical CounciiUors:E. JOYCE, BaUydowling, Glenealy, Co. Wioklow.M. 1. SHERIDAN, "CIoonagh", De1vin Road, MuHinga,r,Co. Westmeath ..D. WALSH,

IRISH FORESTRYVolume 29 1972 No.2EditorialThe Forester as AdvocateThe drumlin region of Leitrim, Fermanagh, Cavan andMonaghan has in recent decades come to be regarded as primeforest land, the forestry equivalent of Meath for beef or Manitobafor wheat. This same land is classed by soils experts as, at best,marginal for agriculture, and that view appears to be gaining someground among politicians.Historical events in Ireland, however, have led to a sense of" land hunger" within the farming community. Any land capableof producing a blade of grass should be allowed to do so (is thebelief) and its ownership assigned to some individual to supervisethat activity and to profit from it, even at the expense of heavysubsidies from other sources.This feeling has come to the surface in Leitrim recently,culminating in a public meeting which appeared to question thedescent of forestry operations from the mountains and bogs. Theattitude displayed js probably due to a considerable extent toignorance of the potential contribution which forestry in that regioncan make to both national and regional prosperity.Oearly a public relations campaign is necessary. This is somethingto which each individual member can contribute, in privatediscussions in pub, club and by the fireside. The basic facts havealready been published in this journal. "Spruce growth rates ondrumlin soils" (Volume 27, No.1, 1970) establishes the extraordinarilyhight rates of growth which can be achieved, and"Forestry and Irish Economic and Social Development" (Volume27, No.2, 1970) gives the general economic arguments, and detailsthe many ways in which successful timber production can benefitthe community.The facts and arguments are there, but need to be disseminated.You can advance the aims of this society, and the national interest,by assimilating all of these and using your individual contacts tomake them widely known.

Some Forest Problems in theEuropean Community!x. Le Chatelier 2My talk will be about some of the important forestry problemsin the European Economic Community. Of course, I cannot give acomplete picture of the situation in the limited time that has beengiven to me. Besides, I am sure that you are already acquaintedwith many of these problems which are similar to those you meetin your country.First, I think it would be appropriate to give some facts andfigures about E.E.C. forestry.The total forested area of our six countries is about 65 millionacres. The exact figure is probably higher, but is not known becausesome countries have not yet completed an up-to-date survey oftheir forests. This area is equivalent to the area of permanentpastures or half of the cultivated land and represents 22% of thewhole territory. This percentage of wooded aiea varies from 8%in Holland to 29 % in Western Germany and 31 % in Luxemburg.This seems a large figure but it includes unfortunately about 37 %of coppice, coppice under standards and brushland which have lostmost of their value nowadays.Of this area 35 million acres are highforest (of which about 27million acres are conifer and 10 million acres broad leaf.As a consequence, a large proportion of our forests have a lowproductivity. The responsible authorities encourage the transformationof coppice into highforest, but this is often more expensivethan creating new forests.Another characteristic is the defective structure of our forests,especially private forests, since it is estimated that wooded estatesof less than 25 acres cover more than 15 million acres: theregrouping of small forests into larger management units isstrongly encouraged.In the Community as a whole 16.4% of the forests belong to theState, 25.6% to the Commune and 58 % to private owners. I havebeen told that the position is quite different in Ireland where only10% is privately owned.1 Address delivered at the Thirtieth Annual General Meeting of the Societyof Irish Foresters, 4th March, 1972.2 Commission des Communautes Europennes, Brussels .

Some Forestry Problems in the European Community 5I must mention that, contrary to what has happened in previouscenturies, the forested area is now being increased every year inour six countries. This is, of course, a normal feature in manydeveloped countries today. The net yearly increase may beestimated at 170,000 acres as an average figure of the last 10 years.PRODUCTIONNow let's say a few words about production. Here, I mustapologise if I get muddled with hoppus feet and cubic feet as Ihad to translate cubic metres (without bark) into these units.The total roundwood production is 2,220 million to 2,350 millionh.ft. a year (80 to 85 million cubic meters). This includes anestimate of fuel wood production. It would be more realistic totake into consideration the production of industrial wood (sawingtimber, wood for veneers, poles, pitprops, pulpwood, etc. which in1969 amounted to 1,700 million h.ft. (61.2 million cu.m.) of which56 % was conifer and 44 % broadleaf. Besides about 25% of thetotal is pulpwood (wood for pulp and for particle and fibre boards).This production covers only part of our needs and we importlarge quantities of wood and wood p:oducts from abroad, mainly:Roundwood: about 277 million h.ft. (10 million cu.m) of whichmore than 83 million h.ft. (3 million cu.m.) is tropical wood and110 million h.ft. (4 million cu.m.) · of pulpwood (mainly fromU.S.S.R.).Sawnwood: (Mostly conifer): 332 million cu. ft. (9,450,000 cu.m.),the equivalent wood raw material being 444 million h.ft. (15.8million cu.m.)Pulp and Papeli: 9 million tons, the equivalent wood raw materialbeing 915 million h.ft. (32.8 million cu.m.).The impressive total deficit in the Community is roughly theequivalent wood raw material of 1,636 million h.ft. (58.6 millioncu.m.) almost equal to our production of industrial wood. Moreover,according to the FA.O. study "European timber trends andprospects", this deficit will reach for the present Community, morethan 2,770 million h.ft. (101 million cu.m.) in 1980. Consequentlythe figure will be much larger for the enlarged Community of tenmembers as the four new members have deficits in the:r woodproduction too.Might I add that imports of round and sawn wood are duty free.Other imports of wood products pay customs duties varying from3% to 13 %, the highest duty being on plywood.This deficit will be a major problem in future years. Let usconsider the supply problem for the pulp and paper industry

6 I rish Forestryas an example. This industry imports pulpwood plus about5 million tons of pulp, about half the pulp needed by E.E.C.paper mills. in the past, pulpwood was imported from Scandinavia;this is not possible any more. In 1960 Finland exported44 million h.ft. of pulpwood to E.E.C.; these exports dwindledprogressively and almost came to a halt 4 years ago. Pulpwoodcan still be imported from Canada, USSR, and some EastEuropean countries. How long will this be possible? Thesituation as regards pulp is similar. The industrialised count~riesmay be expected to use their own raw material and pulp more andmore; E.E.C. industry will meet increasing difficulties in obtainingthe supplies it requires.At the same time, the paper industry is expanding at about 6%a year on average and consumption of paper products is increasingat the same rate.In 1970 we consumed 18.8 million .tons of paper products or220 lb. per capita, and the forecast for 1980 is put at more than20 million tons (320 lb. per capita). You must remember that theannual capita consumption in Sweden is already 420 lb. and in theU.S.A. more than 640 lb.It is unnecessary to point out that the paper industry is worriedabout the future and foresees serious difficulties. The industry hastherefore shown great interest in the ManshoIt plan to which Ishall refer later in my talk.lHE E.E.C. DIRECTIVESWhat conseqence does the Rome Treaty have on forestry andforest policies?Silviculture is obviously a part of agriculture, but as wood isnot among the products listed in Appendix II of the Treaty, acommon forestry policy similar to the common agricultural policy isnot possible. To be absolutely accurate, I must say that a few forestproducts such as tree seeds, nursery plants, etc., are in AppendixlI; they have been included in market organisation regulationstogether with agricultural and horticultural seeds, plants andflowers, but they raise no special problem.So, forestry and wood follow the general rules laid down by theTreaty. However, as we shall see later, forestry may be closelyconnected with the common agricultural policy.What are these general rules?Amongst other objectives, a common market aims at the freemovement of workers, goods and capital within the Community.As regards workers, the freedom of establishment and the freedom

Some Forestry Problems in the European Community 7to supply services in the professions related to forestry and loggingwere decided upon by a directive of 24th Oct., 1967. (Similardirectives have been adopted covering about 75% of all economicsectors but not yet including agriculture, fisheries o.r the profes­~ions--doctors, teachers, architects, lawyers, etc.).As for goods, in our case forest products, customs duties andtrade quotas disappeared 9 years ago and that was the first step.But in many cases, technical regulations and requirements variedfrom one country to another and created obstacles to free trade.In the forestry sectoc, harmonisation of technical rules has beennecessary for tree seeds and nursery plants: a directive of 14thJune 1966 set the rules for genetic quality to be applied in theCommunity to 13 species widely used in forestry. These rules areprogressively enforced by the member States. The main featureson this directive is that all seed traded in the Community musthave been collected on officially selected seed stands of highgenetic quality.This 1966 directive has been supplemented by a directive of 30thMatch, 1971, on external quality of forest reproductive material(purtiv of seed, size of nursery stock, etc.).Incidental1y, I must remind you that the OECD approved inMay 1967 a Scheme for the control of Forest ReproductiveMaterial moving in International Trade. This Scheme considersthree categories of materals:1. Source identified.2. Selected.3. Certified.Under the E.E.C. system, we have only one category which is"selected". We think that the category "source identified" is notsatisfactory. We are working now on a new project aimed at introducinginto our E.E.c. regulation the "Certified" category whichi~ of higher genetic quality and may be produced in commercialquanties in the near future.Harmonisation has been achieved for roundwood classificationand grading. It was deemed necessary because a compulsoryregulation existed in Germany: such a regulation was consideredto be an obstacle to trade and had to disappear or be replaced bya common rule. An E.E.C. classification and grading system forroundwood was established by a directive of 23rd January 1968.This system has to be instituted by law in each Member State,but its app1ication is optional.In plant health protection, a proposal for a directive was sub-

8 Irish Foresf'rymitted to the Council in March 1965. (It includes forest plants andwood). It is still being discussed and has not yet been approved.I believe that it has been decided that from now on nO' basicregulation will be passed by the Council before consulting the newmembers of the Community. This rule will be applied to thisphyto-sanitary directive.The general rules of the Treaty lead us to deal with many othermatters such as forest statistics, forest and forest products taxation,state grants and assistance to private forestry, economics, etc.In other words, a certain amount of co-ordination of nationalforestry policies is advisable, but as the Treaty makes no obligationfor this co-ordination, it can only be worked out on a voluntarybasis and I must add that mOire enthusiasm and good will wasprevalent towards this co-ordination twelve years ago than today.A few years ago, for example, we endeavoured to co-ordinateforest research programmes in order to avoid unnecessary duplicatianand waste af maney and manpower: unfortunately, thisproject cauld not be started because co-ordination an researchwork was not possible within some countries where research isnot centralised.I must state here, befare going any further, that we are interestedIn a variety of subjects, for instance profitability in farestry,palicies in the pulp and paper sector and, of course, prablemsconnected with the environment althaugh the Treaty which wasdrawn up in 1956-57 does not make any reference to them.FORESTRY AND AGRICULTUREThe latter part of my talk wiJ) be devated to' the role of forestryin the common agricultural palicy.I told yau that we could not have a common forestry policybecause wood is nat in A ppendix II af the Treaty although a smallminority, mainly private forest owners, have persistently asked farthe Treaty to be amended.Legal experts have studied this matter in detail and have reachedthe conclusion that some maves related to farestry palicy could beundertaken under Article 39 of the Treaty which states that "thecamman agricultural policy aims at increasing the productivity afagriculture . . . by means af the optimum utilisatian af thelfacto:rs O'f productian (the soil) . . . and at ensuring a fairstandard af living for farmers ... ".If we agree that a forestry policy is not intended only to producewood, but also cantributes in many cases to improving the prafitability of the soil and the economic situatian of the farm, then we

Some Forestry Problems in the European Community 9may assert that forestry may play an important part in theimproving agricultural structures.TIris interpretation of the 'treaty opens up very attractivepossibilities. The Agricultural FundI set up under Arcticle 40 ofthe Treaty has two sections: the Guarantee section used to supportthe price of farm products and the Guidance section meant topromote structural improvements and to increase the efficiency ofagriculture. With these aims in view, aid can be granted for schemessuch as land consolidation, road building, water and electricitysupply to farms, irrigation and drainage projects, construction ofpacking plants, cold stores, slaughterhouses ... and afforestation).The rules governing the expenditure of money from the AgriculturalFund were introduced in 1964. After discussion it wasdecided that although production of wood could not be subsidisedas such, the Fund could be used to finance the following forestryschemes:Afforestation of land which is being abandoned by agriculture,often as a consequence of the common agricultural policy;IQlprovement of forests, conversion of coppice into highforest,when these woodlands belong to farmers;Building of forest roads when these roads may also be useful tofanners;Plantation of trees and forests intended to play directly orindirectly a protective role for agriculture. This includes shelterbelts, planting mountain slopes to control erosion and a variety ofplantations where it may be expected that they will benefitagriculture.This covers a surprisingly large proportion of the afforestationwork done in our countries. In fact. since 1965, 55 forestry or part~forestrY proiects have been granted the assistance of the AgriculturalFund for a total amonnt of about 7.800.000 dol1ars.I must explain briefly how it works: anvbody may apply for agrant: the aoplication is sent through official channels (the Ministrvof Agriculture) to the Commission which has to make the deci~ion.As a rule. the grants represent a maximum subsidy of 25% of thetotal investment. The beneficiary must contribute UD to at least30% of the cost involved. The State must also contribute, but therate of its mrticination is not fixed.A remark is necessary here. The Guarantee section works autornaticaHv:e~norts get a refund to brinq Community Prices down toworld price levels: imnorts pay a levy to raise prices up to the levelof Community prices.1 European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF).

10 Irish ForestryIn contrast, the action of the Guidance section is not automatic.Each application is examined; some are rejected, others ('nlypartially approved and some postponed because the funds availableare limited. In 1971, the total amount earmarked for these guidanceprojects in agriculture was 160,000,000 dollars. You realise that theshare allocated to forestry is very small. By way of comparison,the assistance granted to private forestry by the six Member Statesis annually about 40 million dollars.THE MANSHOLT PLANAt this point, I should like to explain the Mansholt Plan and itssubsequent developments. I suppose that you already know thereasons why this plan was prepared and are familiar with the mainfeatures of the reforms it proposes.On average agricultural production increases every year by3.3 % and the Community has reached selfsufficiency in manyagricultural products and overproduces others. These surplusesmust be subsidised if they are to be exported. The cost of farmsupport measures has increased consistently and in 1969 reached4,500 million dollars, in our six countries, or 4.8% of publicexpenditure. However, this huge amount of expenditure did notrelieve the chronic s.ickness afflicting European agriculture (highproduction costs, too small fa'rm units, inadequate income for thefarmer). If we were to continue with this policy, the financialburden would soon become unbearable.Briefly, the remedies suggested in the Mansholt Plan, whichwas made public in December, 1968, were:­- an increase in the size of farms.- a reduction in the number of farmers and farmworkers.- a more realistic price policy.- a reduction in the amount of cultivated area (by at least 12.5million acres over ten years).This last point is of great importance to foresters. Pa,rt of thisarea would be set aside for recreation and amenities, but most ofit would be afforested. and this is only appropriate when youconsider the present and future lack of timber in the Community.The Mansholt Plan was not a Commission proposal to theCouncil, but was mainly intended to stir up opinion in governmentand professional circles. and this aim was fully achieved.Then, in May 1970, the Commission prepared and forwarded tothe Council a real proposal made up of several draft regulations.one of which concerned a reduction in the amount of cultivatedarea and dealt with forestry and amenities. The drafts were

Some Forestry Problems in the European Community 11discussed by the Council in March 1971; for the first time thefixing of agricultural prices was linked with measures for improvingagricultural structures.The Ministers adopted a positive attitude towards the proposedmeasures and on 25th May, 1971, published a formal Resolutionwhich approved the principles of the reform but which requestednew drafts from the Commission. Unfortunately, the forestrymeasures have been postponed or at least have not been giventop priority.The Resolution states:-"III Measures to be applied subsequently:The Member States will take all necessary measures to preventthe amount of cultivated area being extended.On a proposal from the Commission, the Council will take,measures to encourage afforestation as a part of the regionalprogrammes for afforestation and amenities".This is a political decision.The Council is currently discussing four drafts concerningimprovements to the structure of agriculture itself but has not yetreached agreement on them. Nevertheless, Mr. Mansholt said thathe was optimistic about the outcome of these discussions and thathe hoped that these directives could be applied as of the 1stJuly 1972.Now, where does forestry stand in all this? I think we will haveto wait a while. The Commission will make a new proposal as soonas it seems politically advisable once the Council has reached adecis:on on the texts now under consideration.I have drawn your attention to these points of detail to showyou that our legal procedures are long winded, difficult andcumbersome and that it sometimes takes years to reach full agree·,ment on important decisions.THE FUTURE FOR FORESTRYNevertheless, I am confident that in the long run, perhaps evenin a few months, the Council will reach a decision on forestry.At this juncture, I should just like to make a few further remarks.I must remind you that the afforestation of arable land has beengoing on in our countries for many years, but on a relatively smallscale. The pace of these operations will have to be speeded up ifwe are to reach the goal laid down in the Memorandum Plan andwe will certainly come up against practical difficulties, especiallya~ regards obtaining enough land in large plots for economicafforestation.

12 Irish ForestryThis reduction in the amount of cultivated area will take placemostly in the regions where ecological oonditions are not satisractoryfor agriculture. As a result, we will get large wooded areaswhere it would be advisable to create in due time integrated woodindustries to process timber production economically. These formsof industry will be necessary to support some population and someeconomic activity in these regions. This may be an opportunity tostart a close form of co-operation between the wood industry andforesters and possibly some kind of integration between forest andindustry which is quite common in North America, in Scandinaviaand which is generally the case in Eastern Europe. Anyway, Ibelieve we have a busy future ahead of us.I have given you an outline of our problems and of our workin the forestry sector in the Community. Now, as the Republic ofIreland is soon going to be a full member of our club, let us takea brief look at the implications and conseqences of your entry.I must draw your attention to the difference existing between theISpirit of the Treaty, the ideal behind it, and the letter of theTreaty. Right at the beginning, many people were enthusiastictheyenvisaged rapid political integration and the establishment ofthe United States of Europe. Personally, I still believe that thisshould be our ultimate objective.But in practice our Governments have been generally verycareful to stick to the letter of the Treaty and to safeguard theirsovereignty; some have even been reluctant to apply the rule of themajority voting in the Council, which means that all importantdecisions must be taken unanimously. They apply the Treaty, butthey refuse to go any further.The Treaty lays down that the Council will take its decisions onthe basis of proposals from the Commission. As the Treaty makesno provision for forestry, the Commission several years ago workedout a paper on "Co-ordination of forestry policies" and submittedit to the Council, hoping that it would recommend or instruct!'ome further action to be taken which was not provided for underthe Treaty, but which was allowed for under Article 235. Weespecially stressed the need for the establishment ofa "PermanentForestry Committee" which wo~iP be officially consulted in allmatters related to forestry, but we' could not even obtain this.You must not therefore expect 'great changes to be made to IrishForestry. Each Member State pursues its own forestry policy andthe situation may vary substantially from one country to the next.:You are scheduled to join on the 1st of January, 1973. Thetransition period will be spread over five years: this means that

Some Forestry Problems in the European Community 13by 1st of January 1978 you will have to apply all the Communityregulations.However, the technical directives on Tree seed and plants and onIOundwood classifications, for example, must be enforced much~ooner, six months after entry. On the other hand, the new memberswill participate in the Agricultural Fund immediately and will bea ble to receive money from both the Guarantee and Guidancesections: consequently, applications for funds for afforestationprojects may be sent to the Commission as early as next January.I must add that the four new members of the Community have adeficit in wood production and that the outlook for the wood supplyfor our industries will be worse than at the present time: the needfor new plantations wiIl therefo:e become even more urgent.Of course, right from the beginning, official experts from thenew Member States will participate ;n the numerous meetings andwork sessions organised by the Commission. In forestry we haveperiodic meetings on forestry policies, on forests and forest prouuctsstatistics, and on forest productive material regulationsFinally, civil servants from the new Member States will beprogressively appointed to the various Community Institutions,the Commission, the Secretariat of the European Parliament, theCouncil of Ministers, the Scocial and Economic Committee, andwill also be ass:gned to the various Atomic Agencies.In winding up my talk, let me reaffirm that the signing of theTreaty establishing the new European Community of Ten Membersis one of the major events of our time. We, in Brussels, are eagerlylooking forward to the 1st of January, 1973, as this date representsthe beginning of a new era in the life of our Ccntinent.

The Response of Sitka Spruce toSulphate of Ammonia and GroundRock Phosphate on PeatE. P. Farrell and D. M. McAleese lABSTRACTMajor site amelioration is needed to overcome the serious physicaland nutritional problems encountered by tree crops on blanket bog.A 4 X 3 N P factorial experiment was established at Glenamoy in1967 to examine the response of P'62 Sitka spruce to fertilizers onpeat. The trees had received 85 g ground rock phosphate (G.N.A.P.)per plant at planting. G.N.A.P. was applied at levels of 0, 375, 750and 1,500 kg/ha and sulphate of ammonia (S/A) at 0, 625 and1,250 kg/ha. The fertilizers were applied in 1967. The 625 kg/ha S/Aapplication was repeated in 1969. Height growth results from thefirst four years of the experiment and foliar analysis from the firstthree years are presented here.The results confirm the need for a second application of phosphateon oligotrophic peat. Significant height growth responses wereobtained, but no additional response was observed above the lowestlevel of G.N.A.P. application. A significant height growth responseto S/A was also recorded. Serious leader breakage, which occurredin 1969, was found to be related to total tree height. Foliar Nconcentrations were significantly increased by both fertilizers. Theresults indicate that tree growth will be seriously limited below1.0 % N. Concentrations of P were significantly reduced by S/ Aapplication. This was a dilution effect due to an increase in needleweight. Both fertilizers significantly reduced foliar K concentrations.INTRODUCTIONThe afforestation of blanket bog in the West oflreland with Sitkaspruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) and contorta pine (Pinuscontorta Doug!.) represents a movement away from an ecologicalapproach to species selection. No species in general use in Ireland isadapted to the low fertility and poor physical conditions of blanketbog. The physical properties of the peat make the necessary drainage1 Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University College,Dublin.

The Response of Sitka Spruce to Sulphate of Ammonia 15difficult. In addition, serious nutritional problems have been encountered.The need for phosphate fertilization of trees on peat atplanting time is firmly established (MacDonald, 1945; Zehetmayr,1954; O'Carroll, 1967; Meshechok, 1968). At present, ground rockphosphate (G.N.A.P.) is applied operationally in Ireland at 627kg/ha (91 kg P/ha) to new plantations, and also, under certaincircumstances, as a second application to existing plantations wheregrowth is considered unsatisfactory.On blanket bog in Ireland, a single initial application of phosphateis insufficient to meet the nutrient demand of the crop for the wholerotation (Jack, 1965; O'Hare, 1967a). The smaller the application,the shorter will be the period during which growth is maintained(O'Carroll, 1972), particularly with Sitka spruce. Numerous instancesof check or growth stagnation have been reported some years afterfertilization of crops in Britain and Ireland (Parker, 1957; Parkin,1957; McConaghy et a!., 1960; Dickson, 1965; O'Hare, 1967a).This condition is often associated with low concentrations of foliarnitrogen. Where drainage is adequate, both growth and foliarnitrogen concentrations are usually increased by application ofphosphate (Dickson, 1965; O'Carroll, 1967; O'Hare, 1967a;Forestry Commission, 1968).The response of tree crops on peat to direct application of nitrogenousfertilizers has been inconsistent (Zehetmayr, 1954; Jack,1965; Heikurainen, 1967; O'Carroll, 1972), though significantresponses have been obtained on sites previously fertilized withphosphate (O'Hare, 1967a; O'Carroll, 1972). Nitrogen, withphosphorus and potassium, has given strongly improved growth inFinnish experiments (Heikurainen, 1967). Similar results wereobtained with young pines in Sweden (Holmen, 1967). In the latterexperiment, a second application of nitrogen, made three years afterthe first, produced a further response.The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effects ofS/A and G.N.A.P. at high levels of application, on Sitka spruce. Inthis paper, results from the initial four year period of investigationare presented.EXPERIMENTALThe experiment was located at Glenamoy State Forest, situatedat Glenamoy in north west Co. Mayo. This is part of the low levelblanket bog (Barry, 1969) described as climatic peat by Gardinerand Ryan (1969). The climate of the area is extreme maritime; annualrainfall is 1,400 mm, distributed over 270 days. The wind climate isvery severe with gales in almost every month. The Schoenus nigricans

16 Irish ForestryL association dominates the natural vegetative cover in the area(O'Hare, 1959). Principal species include Selia-nus nigriC( ns L.Molinia caerulea Moench, Erioprorum cngustljolium Honck andE. vcginatum L. The physical properties of the peat at Glenamoyhave been described by Burke (1967). Chemical properties of virginpeat were reported by Walsh and Barry (1958).The experimental site was selected from a Sitka spruce cropplanted at 1.5 X 1.5 m spacing in 1962. The site had been ploughedand G.N.A.P. applied at planting by spot application, at 85 g perplant. In 1967,48 plots, each 0.03 ha, were installed. A two row widebuffer strip was marked, enclosing the measurement zone in eachplot. There were, on average, 45 trees within the measurement zone.A randomized block design was employed with four levels ofG.N.A.P. (0, 375, 750 and 1,500 kg/ha, designated Po, PI' P 2 andP 3 respectively) and three levels of S/A (0, 625 and 1,250 kg/ha;No, N 1, N 2) in factorial combination, replicated four times. Thesefertilizer applications represented element applications of approximately0, 55, 110 and 220kg P/ha and 0, 132 and 234 kg N/ha.Sulphate of potash (42 % K) was applied to all plots at 125 kg/haand copper sulphate (25 % Cu) at 11 kg/ha. All fertilizers were appliedbroadcast, without incorporation, in April 1967. In 1969, the 625kg/ha S/ A treatment (N 1) was repeated on those plots which hadreceived it in 1967.Total height was measured prior to fertilizer application in 1967(mean tree height was 1.19 m) and again at the end of each growingseason to 1970. Height increment was calculated by di fierence.Height measurements reported for 1969, when a large number oftrees suffered leader breakage, and for 1970, are for trees withcomplete leaders.Foliage samples (one branch from five trees per plot) were collectedin October of each season, 1967-1969. Samples were put in coldstorage awaiting transport to the analytical laboratory. At thelaboratory, they were dried, ground, and stored in airtight plasticcontainers. Before analysis, they were dried for 48 . hours at 60°C.Two digestion procedures were used: the H 2 S0 4 /H 2 0 2 procedure ofPinevich as modified by Kurkayev (1959) for N, K, Ca, and Mgdeterminations and the standard HN0 3 /HCl0 4 procedure for Pdetermination. In both cases, 0.2 g oven dry material was used.Determination of N was by titration following standard distillationprocedure. Determination of P was by a modification of thevanadomolybdophosphoric yellow colour method described byJackson (1958). Determination of K was by flame photometry.Atomic absorption was used in the determination of Ca and Mg,using a 12,000 ppm Mg solution to suppress phosphate interference

The R esponse of Sitka Spruce to Sulphate of Ammonia 17TABLE 1Effect of Treatment on Height Increment, 1967-1970TreatmentMean Height Increment (m)No NI N2 Mean No Nl N2 Mean1967 1968Po .14 .37 .38 .22 .28 .37 .38 .34PI .23 .56 .53 .31 .55 .56 .53 .55P2 .22 .51 .48 .34 .55 .51 .48 .51P 3 .24 .47 .47 .34 .53 .47 .47 .49Mean .21 .35 .36 .48 .48 .47CV= 4.97 % CV%4.91 %1969 1970Po .14 .24 .29 .22 .15 .49 .43 .37PI .23 .39 .33 .31 .58 .58 .67 .61P 2 .22 .37 .42 .34 .73 .67 .82 .73P3 .24 .41 .40 .34 .73 .61 .70 .68Mean .21 .35 .36 .55 .58 .64CV= 6.34% CV = 9.19%Effect of Treatment on Cumulative Height Increment, 1967-1970TreatmentMean Height Increment (m)No NI N2 MeanPo .80 1.36 1.44 1.20PI 1.87 2.02 2.02 1.97P2 2.01 1.99 2.25 2.08P 3 1.99 1.97 2.07 2.01Mean 1.67 1.83 1.95Significant Treatment Comparisons and Interactions:No vs (NI+N2) '67** '67-'70**Po vs (PI+P2+P 3 ) '67** '68** '69** '70** '67-'70**PI vs P2'70*N x P'70*Nl treatment was repeated in April 1969.Significance level : *0.05, **0.01.CY: Coefficient of variation.

18 Irish Forestryin Ca determination. Fresh peat samples were extracted with H 2 S0 4for determination of available nutrients (O'Hare, 1967b). LB.M.SSP Main Programmes, ANOV A and REGRE, were used foranalysis of variance and regression analyses. The arcsine transformationwas used on percentage broken shoots (I969) beforeanalysis. Sums of squares for Nand P were each divided into mutuallyorthogonal comparisons.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONEffect of fertilizers on growthIn the period under discussion, 1967-'70, the phosphatic fertilizerhad a highly significant positive effect on leader growth (Table 1),confirming the need for a second phosphate application for Sitkaspruce on oligotrophic peat (Jack, 1965; O'Hare, 1967a). However,the initial phosphate application at Glenamoy, a spot application of85 g/plant G.N.A.P. may have been considerably less effective thanheavier dressings broadcast at planting time on similar sites today.No additional response was observed above the lowest level ofG.N.A.P. application (55 kg P/ha).In comparison with phosphate, the effects of applied S/A onheight increment were small. Cumulative height growth was significantlyincreased by S/A, though annual leader growth showed asignificant response only in 1967. The repeated Nl treatment, madeprior to the 1969 season, had no effect on height increment in thatseason nor in 1970. The most effective nitrogen treatment, therefore,was a single application of 625 kg/ha S/ A (132 kg N /ha). A significantN X P interaction was observed in the 1970 growing season. S/ A wasconsiderably less effective in the presence of G.N.A.P. than in itsabsence.Following the secondary application of sulphate of ammonia,severe necrosis was observed in three of the four treated plots whichhad not received phosphate in 1967. The damage was observed inearly July. In one plot, close to 50 % of the trees were affected.Typically, necrosis was evident on the upper part of the tree, theleading shoot wilted and bent and patches of dead needles were seenelsewhere on the tree. Damage was not apparently related to theage of the needles. Similar observations of damage or mortalityas a result of application of sulphate of ammonia have been reportedby Benzian (1965, 1966) on nursery trees and by Zehetmayer (1954)and O'Carroll (1972) under forest conditions. Urea applied at therate of 71 g/plant (approximately 32 g N) resulted in the deaths ofup to 48 % of the total number of trees in an experiment on peat inNorthern Ireland (Brown et ai., 1968).

The R esponse of Sitka Spruce to Sulphate of Ammonia 19At Glenamoy, both G.N.A.P. and Sf A produced significant growthresponses in the season of application. This appears to run contraryto the theory of growth predetermination, viz. , growth in the currentseason is largely determined at the time of bud setting in the previousTABLE 2Incidence of Broken Leading Shoots (transformed) in the 1969 SeasonTreatment No NI N2 MeanDegrees %1 Degrees %1 Degrees %1 Degrees %1Po 10.1 3.0 21.7 13.6 18.8 10.4 16.8 8.4PI 36.3 35.0 45.0 50.1 39.8 41.0 40.4 42.0P 2 35.4 33.6 43.6 47.5 40.2 41.7 39.7 40.9P 3 36.3 35.0 40.4 42.1 35.1 33.1 37.3 36.7Mean 29.5 24.3 37.7 37.4 33.5 32.1CV= 125.53 %Analysis of Variance (Degrees)SourceNPNPBErrordf236333Mean Square266.901] ,513.94918.389324.49842.119F6.337**35.945**7.704**1. % back transformed.B: Blocks.Significance level : *0.05, **0.01.TABLE 3Analysis of Variance for the Regression of Broken Leading Shoots on TotalHeight, 1969SourcedfMean SquaresFDue to RegressionDeviation about RegressionTotal146472,846.20459 27.83**102.26503Significance level : *0.05, **0.01 .

20 Irish Forestryseason and is therefore controlled by conditions in that season. Manyworkers have not taken measurements until the second season aftertreatment. Others have failed to observe any significant growthresponses in the first season (Dickson, 1969; Brix and Ebell, 1969).The occurrence of a response is apparently linked to the time offertilizer application. The work of Paarlathi (1967) in Finland and ofO'Carroll (1972) indicate that fertilizers applied before March shouldcertainly produce an effect in the current season.Wind damage was serious during the 1969 growing season. Alarge number of leading shoots was broken (Table 2). The maximumwind speed recorded during the period was 42 knots (in August)whereas a wind of 86 knots, in January 1968, caused little visibledamage to the stand. The effect of both fertilizers on leader breakagewas highly significant. This was due to the direct effect of thefertilizers on leader growth. The regression of leader breakage ontotal height was highly significant in the 1969 season (Table 3). Theeffect of blocks on leader breakage (Table 2) and on total height(data not presented) were both highly significant in this season.Mean tree height in each block with corresponding mean incidenceof leader breakage (degrees) were as follows:Mean Height (m)Leader Breakage (degrees)3.2938.082.8026.472.8632.933.0736.74If there is a real relationship between total height and incidence ofinjury, it may be expected that Sitka spruce crops, having reached acritical height, which would vary with location, would lose a part oftheir annual leader growth at wind speeds which are by no meansrare in the western part of the country. This raises a question concerningthe continued use of this species on exposed western sites.However, the considerable variation in growth rates over the area,due to the experimental treatments, may have created an artificialsituation. The forest lacked the uniformity which is important for itsstability and protection.Effect of fertilizers on foliar nutrient concentrationsHeight increment was excellent with foliar N concentrations as lowas 1.08 % D.M. (Tables I and 4). Previous reports gave concentrationsbetween 1.2 and 2.0 % as optimum or adequate for "normal"tree growth (Ley ton, 1958a; Tamm 1964; Dickson, 1965; Baule andFricker, 1970). Maximum or near maximum responses can beobtained on this site at relatively low concentrations of foliar N.Other work at Glenamoy tends to confirm this (O'Hare, 1967a).Growth may be seriously limited below a concentration of 1.0 %.

The R esponse of Sitka Spruce to Sulphate of Ammonia 21TreatmentPoPIP2P aMeanTABLE 4Effect of Treatment on Foliar N concentrations, 1967-1969Mean Foliar N Concentration ( % DM)No Nl N219670.70 1.30 1.391.18 1.58 1.851.34 1.63 1.821.26 !1.57 1.731.19 1.52 1.70CV = 2.90%Mean No NI N2 Mean19681.13 0.83 0.94 1.00 0.921.54 1.08 1.16 1.27 1.171.59 1.22 1.27 1.25 1.251.52 1.27 lAO 1.32 1.581.10 1.19 1.21CV= 2.62%Mean19691.01 1.23 1.161.12 1.60 1.341.27 1.42 lAO1.29 1.60 1.361.17 1.46 1.31CV= 2.03 %Significant Comparisons1.131.35 No vs (NI+N2) '67** '69**1.37 NI vs N2 '67* '69*1042 Po vs (PI+P 2 +P a ) '67** '68**'69**Significance level: *0.05, **0.01.CY : Coefficient of variation.On this basis, a condition of N deficiency existed under the NoPotreatment in 1967 and 1968.Both fertilizers produced significant increases in foliar N concentrations(Table 4). The effect of G.N.A.P. was highly significantin all three seasons. As in height increment, there were no significantdifferences above the 55 kg P/ha level. The effect of S/A wassignificant only in the season of application. The 1969 applicationproduced a significantly higher foliar N concentration at the N Ilevel of application over the N 2 level.The increase in foliar N concentrations with phosphate applicationwas not accompanied by a significant increase in dilute H 2S0 4extractable N in the peat (Table 5). This may have been due to theextreme variation in peat N concentrations within plots. Kaila(1958) has measured increased N mineralization in acid peat withsuperphosphate application. The evidence suggests that the causativefactor is calcium (Forestry Commission, 1967; Atterson, 1969).This is present in all commercial phosphatic fertilizers (G.N.A.P.

22 Irish ForestryTABLE 5Effect of Treatment on available N andlK content of Peat, 0-15 cm Depth, 1969(N Content (ppm wet peat) K Content (ppm wet peat)TreatmentNo NI N2 Mean No NI N2Po 62.1 145.4 97.2 101.5 30.0 27.4 28.4PI 86.6 166.6 91.5 114.9 23.4 23.9 22.1P 2 109.4 117.6 132.3 119.8 30.1 22.4 18.3P 3 91.5 163.3 104.5 119.8 21.6 20.0 22.3Mean 87.4 148.2 106.4 26.3 23.4 22.8CV= 1,288.20%CV=53.45%Mean28.623.223.621.3Significant Treatment Comparisons and InteractionNo vs (NI+N2)NI vs N2Po vs (PI+P2+P 3 )NxPN Content****NSNSK Content**NS***Significance level: *0.05, **0.01.NS : Non significant.CV: Coefficient of variation.is 37.0 % Ca) and probably results in an increase in microbial activity(Zottl, 1963). However, applied Ca may not be the only causativefactor. Work with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings in solutionculture suggests a decreased ability of that species to absorb orutilize N at very low P concentrations in solution (Fowells andKrauss, 1959).In 1967 and 1968, foliar P concentrations in the non-phosphatetreated plots (Po) were considerably below the 0.12-0.13 % P limitingrange cited by Baule and Fricker (1970). The response to appliedphosphate was highly significant in all seasons (Table 6). SjAsignificantly reduced foliar P concentrations but this was a dilutioneffect due to an increase in needle weight. A reversed trend wasobserved when foliar P was expressed on a weight per 100 needle

The R esponse of Sitka Spruce to Sulphate of Ammonia 23TABLE 6Effect of Treatment on Foliar P Concentrations, 1967-1969Mean Foliar P Concentration (% DM)TreatmentPoPIP2P 3MeanNo NI N219670.07 0.09 0.080.17 0.13 0.180.26 0.17 0.150.20 0.20 0.140.17 0.14 0.14CV = 0.88 %19690.13 0.13 0.160.24 0.28 0.330.30 0.29 0.310.32 0.35 0.380.25 0.26 0.29CV= 0.93%Mean No NI N2 Mean19680.08 0.11 0.08 0.10 0.090.16 0.17 0.23 0.24 0.210.19 0.23 0.21 0.18 0.210.18 0.26 0.21 0.22 0.230.19 0.18 0.18CV= 1.02 %Significant Comparisons0.14 No vs (NI+N2) '67**0.28 PovS(P 1 + P2+ P 3 ) '67**'68**'69**0.30 (PI + P2) vs P 30.35 PI VS P 2'69**'67*Significance level : *0.05, **0.01 .CY: Coefficient of variation.TABLE 7Effect of Treatment on Foliar P. Content, 1967TreatmentMean Foliar P Content (mg/lOO needles)NoPo 0.20PI 0.46P2 0.70P 3 0.61Mean 0.49CV= 5.15%NI N2 Mean0.33 0.27 0.270.48 0.64 0.530.76 0.55 0.670.71 0.67 0.660.57 0.53Significant Comparisons:Po vs (PI+ P2+P 3 )**Significance level : *0.05, **0.01.CY:Coefficient of variation.

24 Irish Forestrybasis (Table 7). Mean needle weights (mg) per 100 needles at eachtreatment for 1967 were as follows :No288Po339P 3379The response of needle weight to applied SjA was highly significant.Ley ton (1958b) reported a reduction in foliar P concentration withnitrogen application in Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis Gordon). Inthis case there was a reduction in the absolute content of P in theneedles which, he claimed, was the result of a direct antagonisticeffect of the nitrogenous fertilizer.Foliar K concentrations and peat concentrations of dilute H 2S0 4extractable K were significantly reduced by both fertilizers (Tables5 and 8). The reduction due to G.N.A.P. was highly significant in1968 and 1969. Carlisle and White (1962) reported a case of KTABLE 8Effect of Treatment of Foliar K Concentrations, 1967-1969Mean Foliar K Concentrations ( % DM)TreatmentPoPIP2P 3MeanNo NI N219671.05 0.90 0.831.02 0.95 0.971.02 0.89 0.821.01 0.82 0.801.02 0.89 0.85CV= 1.04 %Mean No NI N2 Mean19680.93 0 . 7~ 0.79 0.67 0.740.98 0.73 0.62 0.63 0.660.91 0.73 0.65 0.53 0.640.87 0.68 0.58 0.49 0.580.73 0.66 0.58CV= 1.07 %Po19690.92 0.88 0.820.83 0.78 0.690.85 0.74 0.740.89 0.69 0.730.87 0.77 0.75CV= 0.83 %Significant Comparisons0.87No vs (NI+ N 2 ) 67** 68** 69*0.770.78 NI vs N2 68**0.77 Po vs (P 1 + P2+ P 3 ) 68** '69*(PI+ P2) vs P 3 '67* '68*Significence level: *0.05, **0.01.CV : Coefficient of variation.

The R esponse of Sitka Spruce to Sulphate of Ammonia 25deficiency in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) resulting from G.N.A.P.application on a deep peat site in Britain. This was attributed to anantagonistic effect of calcium in the phosphatic fertilizer.Foliar Ca concentrations ranged from 0.40 to 0.69 % D.M. Theywere significantly increased in the 1968 and 1969 seasons by G.N.A.P.application. Foliar Mg concentrations ranged from 0.07 to 0.16 %D.M. Applied phosphate resulted in a significant increase in concentrations.In 1967, application ofSjA resulted in a highly significantreduction in Mg concentration. However, the effect was so small,0.13 to 0.10 %, that it is doubtful if it has any biological significance.CONCLUSIONSUltimately, the success of our peatland forests will be measuredby the contribution they make to a sector of our society. Thiscontribution will depend in part on the volume of merchantablewood which they produce. The results of this study add to theinformation available for the management of these forests to theirfull potential.The need for a second application of phosphate after planting onthis site is confirmed. The response to this application was stillstrongly evident in 1970 and the results suggest that it will persistfor some years more. Canopy closure, which is not yet completed,will greatly alter the pattern of nutrient cycling developed in thestand. Few of our peatland forest crops have yet closed canopy andit is impossible to say how this will affect the nutrient status of thecrops.The incidence of leader breakage in 1969 must be of concern thoughno firm conclusions can be drawn from it.The effect of G.N.A.P. in increasing foliar N concentrationsemphasises the heterogenous nature of this material. It is an idealfertilizer for use at this early stage in our knowledge of tree nutritionon peat. As a water insoluble calcium phosphate, it may be expectedto become slowly available under acid conditions. The low iron andaluminium content of Irish peats (Walsh and Barry, 1958) shouldrestrict subsequent phosphate immobilization to a fraction of thatencountered in strongly acid mineral soils. In addition, it contains anumber of essential plant nutrients though little information isavailable on synergistic or antagonistic relationships developedbetween components of G.N.A.P. and other nutrients present inthe peat. Both G.N.A.P. and SjA caused a reduction in foliar andpeat K concentrations. This raises the possibility of incipient Kdeficiency in some crops.

26 Irish ForestryACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe site and facilities for this experiment were provided by theForest and Wildlife Service, Dublin. Fertilizers were supplied byGoulding Fertilizer, Dublin.REFERENCESAtterson, J. 1969. Fertilizer research in Scottish nurseries and forests.J. Sci. Fd. Agric. 20 : 415-416.Barry, T. A. 1969. Origin and distribution of peat types in the bogsof Ireland. In Peat as a medium for Horticultural Crop Production,5-19. An Foras Taluntais, Dublin.BauIe, H. and C. Fricker. 1970. The f ertilizer treatment of foresttrees. BLV Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Munich.Benzian, B. 1965. Experiments in nutrition problems in forestnurseries. For. Com. Bull. 37, Vol. 1.Benzian, B. 1966. Risk of damage from certain fertilizer salts totransplants of Norway spruce and the use of slow-release fertilizers.In Physiology in Forestry, Supplement to Forestry, 64-69 .Brix, H. and L. F. Ebell. 1969. Effects of nitrogen fertilization ongrowth, leaf area and photosynthesis rate in Douglas fir. For. Sci.15 :189-196.Brown, W. O. et. al. 1968. Effect of nitrogen and potassium applicationon tree mortality at end of first growing season. Ann. Rep. onRes. and Technical Work of the M in. Agric., Northern Ireland,32-33.Burke, W. 1967. Principles of drainage with special reference to peat.Irish For. 24(1) : 1-7.Carlisle, A. and E. J. White. 1962. Chlorosis in Scots pine. Rep. Nat.ConsfYv. 1961 /'62, 61.Dickson, D. A. 1965. The effect of nitrogenous and phosphaticfertilizers on the growth of checked trees on deep peat. Rec. Agric.Res. , Min. Agric. Northern Ireland, 14 : 61-71.Dickson, D. A. 1969. Uptake of nutrients foJlowing fertilization ofSitka spruce on deep peat in Northern Ireland. J. Sci. Fd. Agric .20 : 420-423.ForestlY Commission, 1967. Nutrition of forest crops; manunng ofyoung crops on peat soils. For. Com. R Ep. on For. Res. 1966,48-50.Forestry Commission, 1968. Nutrition of forest crops. For. Com.Rep. on For. Res. 1967, 45-48.

The Response 0 fSitka Spruce to Sulphate of Ammonia 27Fowells, H. A. and R. W. Krauss. 1959. The inorganic nutrition ofloblolly pine and Virginia pine with special reference to nitrogenand phosphorus. For. Sci. 5 : 95-112.Gardiner, M. J. and P. Ryan, 1969. A new generalized soil map ofIreland and its land use interpretation. Irish J. Agric. Res. 8 :95-109.Heikurainen, L. 1967. The effect of manuring on organic soils. Proc.Fifth Colloquium on Forest Fertilization, Int. Potash Inst.,Jyvaskyla, Finland. 197-205.Holmen, D. H. 1967. Forest fertilization in Sweden. Proc. FifthColloquium on Forest Fertilization. Int. Potash Inst., Jyvaskyla,Finland,291-297.Jack, W. H. 1965. Experiments on tree growing on peat in NorthernIreland. Forestry. 28 : 20-40.Jackson, M. L. 1958. Soil chemical analysis. Constable, London.Kaila, A. 1958. Effect of superphosphate on the mobilization ofnitrogen in a peat soil. J. Sci. Agric. Soc. Finland. 30 : 114-124.Kurkayev, V. T. 1959. Rapid determination of N, P and K in plantmaterial from a single sample. Sov. Soil Sci. 1118-1121.Ley ton, L. 1958a. The mineral requirements of forest plants.Handbuch Pjlanzenphysiologie. 4 : 1026-1039.Ley ton, L. 1958b. The relationship between growth and the mineralnutrition of conifers. In The Physiology of Forest Trees (K. V.Thimann, Ed.) 323-345. Ronald Press, New York.MacDonald, J. A. B. 1945. The Lon Mor : twenty years researchinto wasteland peat afforestation in Scotland. Forestry. 19 : 67-73.McConaghy, S., J. S. V. McAllister, K. F. Parkin and R. E. Parker.1960. The growth of Sitka spruce on deep peat in Northern Ireland.]. The effect of fertilizers and other treatments on the growth ofyoung trees. Res. and Expt. Rec., Min. for Agric., NorthernIreland. 10 : 151-162.Meshechok, B. 1968. (Initial fertilization when afforesting openswamps). Norwegian For. Res. Inst. Rep. 87, 24, 1. (N.e.).O'Carroll, N. 1967. Forest fertilization in the Republic of Ireland.Proc. Fifth Colloquium on Forest Fertilization. Int. Potash Inst.,JyvaskyUi, Finland. 271-274.O'Carroll, N. 1972. Studies on fertilization, soil cultivation, andplanting techniques and their effects on growth and yields offorest crops. Ph.D. Thesis, University College, Dublin. Unpublished.O'Hare, P. J. 1959. An ecological study of certain blanket bogs inCo. Mayo. M .Agr. Sc. Thesis, University College, Dublin.Unpublished.

28 Irish ForestryO'Hare, P. J. 1967a. Leader growth and foliar composition in Sitkaspruce in relation to fertilizer application on blanket peat. Proc.Fifth Colloquium on Forest Fertilization. Int. Potash Inst.,Jyviiskylii, Finland, 111-121.O'Hare, P. J. 1967b. Personal communication, An Foras Taluntais,Oak Park, Carlow.Paarlathi, K. 1967. On the influence of the time of fertilization onthe growth reactions in a pine stand on a peat soil. 14th I.U.F.R.O.Congress, Munich. 4 : Sect. 23, 483-493.Parker, R. E. 1957. Some problems arising in the afforestation ofpeatlands in Northern Ireland. Irish For. 14 : 118-121.Parkin, K. F. 1957. Afforestation of peatlands in Northern Ireland.Irish For. 14 : 111-117.Tamm, C. O. 1954. Some observations on the nutrient turnover in abog community dominated by Eriophorum vagina tum, Oikos 5 :189-194.Tamm, C. O. 1964. Determination of the nutrient requirements offorest stands. Int. Rev. For. Res. 1 : 115-170.Walsh, T. and T. A. Barry. 1958. The chemical composition of SOrr:I~Irish peats. Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. 59(B) : 305-328.Zehetmayr, J. W. L. 1954. Experiments in tree planting on peat.For. Com. Bull. No. 22.Z6ttI, H. W. 1963. (Nitrogen mineralization on raised bog afterfertilizing with basic slag). Phosphorsaure. 23 : 225-230 (G.g.).Abstract seen.

Labour Cost Trends in ForestNurseriesJ. J. Deasy'Costs of producing planting stock in the Forest and WildlifeService have been reduced appreciably since the early sixties andI have been invited to write a short note telling of the reductions"that have been effected and the ma~n factors that have beenresponsible for bringing them about.Except for a small percentage of broadleaved stock intendedfor planting out as undercut seedlings the traditional method ofsowing the seed broadcast in beds and lifting and lining out of theseedlings has remained unchanged.Comparisons of cost expressed in money terms are obscured bythe effects of inflation. We have, therefore, used the Work StudySection's records of exp:::nditure in standard man hours 2 (S.M.H.)for each nursery operation.Table I shows that while plants med .in 1971-72 at 30 million ascompared with 1961·62 have dropped by about 25% the labourcosts have dropped by alm ::st 55%.Table 1Total Labour Costs in S.M.H. for Period '61-'62 to '71-' 72.I Total Area Number of Costs perYear of Nurseries Total Costs Plants used 1,000 plants(hectares) in S.M.H . ( 1,000s) in S.M.H.----- ----1961-62 291 710.021 40,]72 17.91962-63 286 637,301 38-,408 16.61963-64 297 802.602 45,042 17.831964-65 309 760,229 40,784 18.61965-66 318 626,439 39,673 16.01966-67 318 536,991 34,783 15.41967-68 318 473,222 36,872 13.01968-69 313 389,911 35,063 11.11969-70 302 385,571 32,710 11.81970-71 302 347,374 31.920 10.91971-72 271 321 ,257 30,000* 10.7*Provisional at the time of writing., Nurseries Inspector Forest and Wildlife Service, Dublin.2 The current cost of a standard man hour (early 1972 ) is estimated at£0.74.

30 Irish ForestryThe closing of small, manually operated nurseries and theopening of large mechanised ones was begun in 19S7 and the changeover, except for a few small units which are still in use, was almostcompleted by 1961-62. The average size of the mechanisednurseries is 22ha. While the Work Study and Incentive BonusScheme was fully operative in 1961-62 it continued to maintainefficiency by setting standards of work and giving accurate workvalues and accurate measurement of work output. The operationsin which the main cost reductions have been made were weedingof seed beds and transplant lines. Table II shows the unit cost ofthese two operations for the years 1961-62 to 1971-72.Table 2Unit Cost for Weeding Seed Beds and Transplant Lines fo rOne Year during period 1961·62-197172.YearSeed Bedsyr. and 2 yrs . Transplant Lines1-IUnit Costs Unit Costs1in S.M.H. in S.M.H.!-----11961-62 I 463 1501962-63 426 791963-64 I 207 931964-65 313 991965-66 I 255 841966-67 ) 148 621967-68 171 581968-69 142 571969-70 I 105 501970-71 84 501971-72 90 44Herbicides have contrituted much to this reduction, especiallySimazine. The discontinuance of the use of farm yard manureexcept in one or two cases where .it was known that the manurewas relatively free from weed seeds has also been important. Mostimportant perhaps was Summer fallowing with successive rotations.This was carried out first by rotovating the soil at high speed to itsfull working depth to ensure fragmentation of roots of any perennialweeds suoh alsscutch grass, (Agrop.yron repens Beauv,) sheep'ssorrel (Rumex aceto~ella L.), etc. If the s.oil was dry it was roLledto speed up germination of weed seeds. As soon as weeds appearedit was rotovated to a depth of Scm which killed those weeds andbrought further weed seed to the surface. When these germinatedthe soil was again rotovated, this time to a depth of lOcm, and soon increasing the depth of each rotovation by Scm until the working

Labour Cost Trends in Forest Nurseries 31depth of the soil was reached. It was important to wait after eachrotovation for the germination of the weed seeds; othe ~ wise ungerminatedseeds would have given further trouble.This proved very effective on ground intended for seed beds assimazine could not have been used in the early stages of 1 yearconifer beds-the perido during which in pre-rotovation daysweeding costs ran high.The system was also used on ground intended for transplantlines if space permitted, but the use of Simazine, as evidenced inTable 2 for the year 1962-63 when it was first used on an operationalscale, had been effective.It might be added here that the use of S.imazine and other herbicidessuch as Paraquat and Vapourising Oil do not seem to havehad any bad effects on the soil conditions although they have beenused now for between ten and twenty years.According as the seed population in the nurseries was reduced.it was possible to go back to the ploughing down of green manurecrops. This was, however, usually preceded by fallowing w.ithrotovation until July when a crop of Westerwolth rye grass wassown. The July sowing gave ample time for this quick-growingcrop to produce material for a good green-manure sandwich.Table 3 shows the drop in cost of weed control as a percentageof labour costs over the last eleven years.Table 3Costs of Weeds Control Operations as Percentage ofTotal Costs in 1961-62 and 1971-72Sub HeadSeed BedsTransplant L,ines '1961-62 1971-72%of Total Cost %of Total Cost19.52259.211.3Lining out now accounts for the highest percentage of nurserycosts at 31.8 %. Everybody involved is thinking hard on how thiscost can be reduced or even eliminated. There are many techniquesbeing practised in countries where labour is difficult toobtain or is of poor calibre and expensive. Drill-sown seedlings,which are undercut and lateral root pruned. have been planted outsuccessfully for many years. Production methods which lend themselvesto mechanised planting such as tubed seedlings, bulletseedlings (which can be planted by planting "guns ') soilless containers,etc., are being tried. A start is being made in the Forest

32 Irish Forestryand Wildlife Service on work in this field. Even with our plentifulsupply of good labour and mild Winters it is felt that there may bea future for such methods here and steps have been taken toinitiate trials.While not strictly within the terms of reference of this note it isdifficult to close without mention of one very striking saving thathas been made since the late fifties and early sixties and the 75%reduction in the quantity of conifer seed sown (excluding the truefirs).Even allowing for a 25% drop in plants required, with such anexpensive commodity as conifer seed, this has been a substantialeconomy. It was due to the use of grit instead of soil for coveringthe seed, better seed, less seedlings lost due to less hand weedingand an increase in the demand for small-seed species such asSitka spruce.

SOJ?e Patterns in Crop Structureand Productivity for UnthinnedSitka SpruceG. Gallagher lABSTRACTPatterns of crop structure in unthinned Sitka spruce stands areexamined by multiple and polynomial regression. Productivitycategories for top height are evolved on the basis of confidencebelts. Wide variation in volume to 8cm top diameter amounting to160-200m 3 /ha is shown within a range of top heights 7m to over20m. · Volume production per ha to 8 cm top diameter for topheight is greater in young unthinned stands in Ireland thanindicated in the Forest Management Tables (1971). Total stemwoodvolume is equivalent to timber volume plus 20m3jha. Topheight/age patterns indicate a range of Yield classes to over24m 3 /hajan. Mortality is not severe up to 14m top height. Variationin site conditions meant that volume/top height patterns could noteasily be explained by the site factors. elevation, aspect and slope.INTRODUCTIONForest yield classification by height and age alone has limitationsin that crops cannot be readily identified with their productivecapacities. This difficulty has been already largely overcome withthe concept of yield classes or classes of maximum mean annualincrem~nt. (Bradley, Johnston and Christie 1967, Hamilton andChristie 1971). The identification of volume producing forestcategories is not always a straightforward process due to variationwithin apparently similar crops (Gallagher 1970). Difficulties canarise in expressing variation in yield by equations and graphs(Christie 1970). The study of crop productivity and the problemsof correlating this with site factors in regions and localities hasbeen undertaken with varying degrees of success. (Page 1970,Oswald 1969).In Ireland the limiting factor in crop production studies has been1 Research Branch, Forest and Wildlife- Service, Department of Lands,Dublin.

........ ____________________________________34 I rish Forestrythe lack of permanent plots. Continuous records still cover arelatively short period.More information on cumulative volume production, maximumincrements and rotation lengths under Irish conditions is required.This is especially true for the two species Sitka spruce and contortapine which together now comprise 85% of the annual plantingprogramme.BACKGROUND TO SITKA SPRUCE SURVEYWhen the yield class system of crop definition was adopted apilot project was set up at Kinnitty Forest, Co. OfIaly, to controlan annual thinning programme based on crop production potential.This was a joint project between research and management staffs ofthe Forest and Wildlife Service. During the exercise it becameapparent that, for Sitka spruce there were large variations involume within yield classes which had been identified by heightand age.This variation appeared to be more than could be accounted forby local production classes (Bradley, Johnston and Christie 1967)or by past management of thinnings. In order to assemble data ontotal volume production for that species, and in the absence oflong-term permanent sample plot records, it was decided toinvestigate un thinned stands.BASISA list of fully stocked unthinned but measurable stands Wasdrawn up. This included stands at first thinning stage-and thosein which, for different reasons, thinning had not been carried out.Stands were differentiated by age and forest compartment. Thearea of all stands assembled was 405 ha. (1,000 ac.). These standswere listed randomly and a .08 ha. plot was allocated to each 2 ha.(5 acres) on the list. This constituted a 4% sampling of the totalassembled area and .04% approximately, of all Sitka spruce in thecountry over 10 years old.Stand maps were prepared for all areas to be sampled. Plotlocations were determined using a random grid.FIELD WORKField work was commenced in Winter 1966 and finished bySummer 1967. 198 plots were measured in 16 counties over 36forests, 32 of which were located south of a line from Dublin toLimerick. The plots were square. All trees 3cm. diameter at breast

Crop Structure and Productivity for Unthinned Sitka Spruce 35Plot Distribution40no.Age Classesyrs20,12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 4240Height Classes m20Fig. 1.7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21Distribution of unthinned Sitka spruce plots by age and top height.height (D.B.H.) and over were girthed (with a steel tape). Treeswere grouped in assortments of 3cm. and over and 7cm and over.Heights of dominant trees were measured by a Blume Leiss hypsometer.A sample of dominant trees (defined as the 100 largestgirthed trees per ha.) were felled and analysed for height agepatterns. A sample in the 7cm. D.B.H. and over assortment werefelled and measured in sections for volume.A wide range of site conditions was encountered; elevationsvaried from 30-500 m., soils from brown earths to peaty podsols andgleys. Topographical features included flat sites and slopes in excessof 20°.The distribution of height and age categories is g.iven in Figure l.

36VARIABLESThese are defined in Table 1.Irish ForestryCOMPUTATION AND ANALYSISData were analysed with the aid of the LB.M. 360 computer.Three stages were involved.(i) Calculation of crop volumes.(ii) Correlation of crop and site variables.(iii) Explanation in detail of the relationship of some of the cropvariables.TABLE 1PLOT VARIABLES PER HECTAREVariableVs (m 3 )Vt (rna)A (Yrs.)S (No.)Hd (m)H (m)Dd (cm)i5 (cm)G (m')Sdd ( %)Gdd ( % )Alt (m)h (ratio)v (ratio)SIp (0)AspFDefinitionVol. ofAll * stems to 8cm. top diameterVol. ofAll * stems 3cm. D .B.H. and over to tipAgeSince plantingNumber ofAll * stems 3cm. D.B.H. and overMean Height of100 largest diameter stemsMean Heightof 240 volume sample stemsDiameter of100 largest diameter stemsMean Diameter ofall trees 3cm. and overBasal area of all * stems3cm. D .B.H. and overStems dead x 100SBasal area dead x 100GHeight above sea levelHeight at 6 yrs./6V s/B.F.C + . vol. from 'b' curveSlope in degreesAspect N-NW clockwise coded 1-8V 8 Form factorG x HMean23225621381611.39.920.313.040.03.90.9265.9 I1.04StandardDeviation747565102.11.62.81.27.06.42.196.10.290.286.32.6.037* Living and deat trees.+ British Forestry Commission Management Table (1971).

VB VtI - - --- -VB Vt + +ASHd + +H + Dd + +D + +G Sdd Gdd + +AltIhFITABLE 2MATRIX OF CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS GREATER THAN .6,A S Hd H Dd D G Sdd Gdd Alt h v SIp Asp F--- - ----- - --------- - - - ----- - --+ + + + +-+ + ++-++ ++ + + + + + +- + + +I+ + ++ + + + +++ +- +I+++++~....o"'"~....~~~....">;::!""""­~....o""­~~§:~-...o....c::;::!;;;; .;::!">""-~;;;:.""~ ....~">u:>'-l

38 Irish ForestryTABVARIABLES CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN .01 TO PROPORTIONIN AN 11 SELECTION 17 VARIABLEiIDependentlSelection Step variable Independent Variablesy Xl t1 X2 t2 X3 t3 X41 1 V8 Vt 126.142 1 Vt V8 126.14- - -3 1 Hd H 33.05231.69 v - 7.873" 6.03 -22.98 V8 19.84-- " -"4 1 Dd D 17.67214.07 Hd 12.963" 15.270.02 A 7.554 ""I 16.206.778.51 Alt"I---- -=:-1""5 1 D Dd 17.67214.72 S - 8.353" 2.46 -28.63 G 26.86"" --6 1 G V8 21.77220.17 lId -7.523" 18.55 -6.36 Alt 4.604" 19.65 " - 7.304.74 F5" 15.44 " -6.95 " 4.646" 3.44 " -1.58 " 3.14 "I""""7 1 Sdd Gdd 36.93I 2 30.66IA 10.94"I !8 , 1 1 Gdd , Sdd I 36.93i 239.21 S 5.473 " 31.39 4.99 A -4.97", "9 I1 h A --12.202-16.91 Hd 8.893" -17.497.07 D 3.15""10 1 v Dd -8.942-34.45 V8 28.05"11 1 F5.232 I ~ 6.16 v 4.3436.184.80 S -3.214 I " 6.86 " 5.60 -3.05I I 56.68 " 5.08 " -3.12 "! """"i 6 4.820.97 -3.48II I, 7 " 4.32 " 1.90 " -2.97 "i .," " "5% t = 1.96

LE 3Crop Structure and Productivity for Unthinned Sitka Spruce 39OF SUMS OF SQUARES REDUCED AND THEIR t VALUESSTEPWISE MULTIPLE REGRESSIONand Computed t Valuest4 X5 t5 X6 t6 X7 t7 X8 t8-3.72-4.17-4.43 i5 3.42-1.1214.00 S 13.32"-2.91-3.10 II -1.23-3.64 -5.07 V8 5.08-2.09 " -5.977.13 G -4.73""1 %=2.58tProportionsum ofreducedCumulativeproportionsquaresreduced.988 .988.988 .988.848 .848.037.077.885.962.614 .614.178 .973.047 .840'011 .851.614 .716.102.224.716.940.708 .708.066 .774.022 .796.017 .813.011 .823.085 .908.874 .874.048 .922.874 .874.017 .891.012 .903.432 .432.164.020.596.615.290 .290.569 .859.123 .123.077 .200.040 .240.032 .272.006 .278.085 .363.067 .480

40 I rish Forestry(a) VolumesLinear regressions of the form v =a + bg were calculated fromsample tree data for all plots where v=mean tree volume,g= mean tree basal area, and a and b are constants. Forvolume to 8 cm. top diameter l v and g were computed from asample of trees 7 cm. D.B.H. and over. For total stemwoodvolume, the volume of a cone, t (.005 x length of top) wasadded to each tree within the sample and small trees wereincluded in the basal area calculation.(b) CorrelationsStepwise multiple regressions were calculated from all variablesto see if any general trends were evident. Selections weremade with each of the following eleven as independentvariables Vs, V t , Hd, 15d, 15. G, Sdd, Gdd, F, v and h."Table 2 shows the correlation matrix. Only coefficients greater than·6 are indicated (+or-). As correlations were fairly predictable thevalues of the coefficients are not shown. Table 3 summarises some ofthe relationships which featured during steps of each selection. Onlyvariables contributing .01 and more to the reduction of sums ofsquares are included in the table. In fact, many crop variables areinterrelated and this is shown in the equations from the eleven selections;These can be outlined:(i) Volume to 8 cm. top diameter (V s ): The inter-relationshipbetween V s and V t accounts for virtually all regression sums ofsquares.(ii) Volume total stemwood (V t ): V s contributed most to theregression. Later in the calculation (not illustrated), S shows a lowpositive relationship suggesting that V t rather than V s increasedwith stocking.(iii) Dominant height (Rd): H ( +) is the first variable to enter theregression. There is a low negative relationship with v (-) suggestinglower ratios with taller stands. There is also a low correlation withAlt (not illustrated).(iv) Dominant diameter(15d): Correlations with 15 (+), Rd (-)and A ( + ) contribute most to the regression.(v) Mean diameter (D): Best correlation are with 15d (+ ), S (-)and G ( +). The influence of stems on diameter is shown here.(vi) Basal area (G): Vs and Alt are positively correlated Hd and Fnegatively. V s accounts for most variation in G.(vii) Percent Stems dead (Sdd): Best correlations are with Gdd( +) and A ( + ).1 Much of the early data were recorded in Imperial measure before metricationand 8 cm. is used as the equivalent of 3 ins top diameter.

Crop Structure and Productivity for U nthinned Sitka Spruce 41(viii) Percent basal area dead (Gdd): Stems dead (+ ) and stems(+) are best; for some reason A is negative here.(ix) Height ratio (h): Total proportion of sums of squares dueto regression is low. Predictably heights and age account for most.(x) Volume ratio (v) : Dd is correlated most highly (+ ). Vs (+ )is next due to interaction between variables.(xi) Form Factor (F): Total sums of squares due to regression islow. Contributing to the regression are A (+ ), v (+ ), V s (+), S (-),Alt (-), R (- ), G (-).The very small influence of site variables, altitude, slope and aspectmeans that regression equations do not offer much to explain highvolume ratios other than suggesting their association with standswhere top height growth has been slow-which in turn might berelated to high elevations. The regression does suggest that highvolumes are associated with high dominant diameters and may berecognised through them. The remainder of the study concerns theexpression in more detail of the relationship between crop variables.CROP STRUCTIRE OF UNTHINNED STANDSThe following variables were considered worth examining Indetail from a crop productivity point of view:Vs, V t , G, Sdd, Gdd and Rd·Polynomial equations were calculated to express the relationshipof V s, V t, D d, and G individually with top height. These were of theorder Y=a+ bx+cx 2 + dx 3 . . .So that the range of variation for single dependent variables (Y's)on any top height could be determined, the confidence belts forindividual observations on the independent variable were calculated.This was done by first calculating the mean square.Sy2=SY1232 G-+CllX2+C22X3+C33X23 + 2C12XlX2+2C13XlX3 +2C23 X2 X3), where, Sy2123 is the variance the X's are deviations frommeans and the C's are the Gauss multiplyers from the solution of thenormal equations in the polynomial. Sy2 was then added to Sy2123and Sy was multiplied by the 95 % t value. This value (t .osSy) wasthen added to or subtracted from each estimate of Y. It is expectedthat 95 % of sampled plots would fall within these bands (Snedecor1952, Davis 1961).The following are the 4 polynomial equations which emerged:(1) Vs on RdV s=-529.6865+ 143.3328 H d-9.5919 R d2+ 0.25449 Rd 3(F= 165)(2) Vt on RdVt=-480.2878 + 135.9794 Hd~8·9884 Hd 2 + O.2406 Hi(F= 180)

42 /'rish Forestry800VOl./il::a:.:. .___ to 8cm.topdiam.m3_ total- - stemwood[AJ700 Plots showvol to scm ..top diam.6005004003002001004 8 12 16 20 24Top heightm}'ig. 2.Productivity range of unthinned Sitka spruce for top height basedon confidence belts: a) Volume to Scm. top diam. and totalstemwood volume per hectare. b) Basal area per hectare. c) (Page44). diameter per hectare.

Crop Structure and Productivity for Unthinned Sitka Spruce 43(3) Dd on fi d " "Dd= 20.8673-2.8972fi d+ 0.4427 Rd2-0.2404 Hd 3 +0.00034 Rd 4 (F= 68)(4) G on RdG = 23.0205-0.0404 fid+0.6727 fid2-0.0559 fii+.00138 fid4 F = 22)(.1 % F = 10.8)These with the 95 % confidence bands for observed values areexpressed graphically on figures 2 (A, B, C). The distribution of plotsaccording to V 8 is given on figure 2A. Though the scatter of data iswide for each curve all regressions are statistically significant at ther,as~1140 area /ha.m 2120[ B]10080604204 12 16 '.", 20 · 24Top height m

44 Irish Forestry36 Dom.Diam./ha.em3228242016124 2'0Top Height m.1 % level. In terms of a single variable related to top height thesecan be regarded as the range of production categories. The highvalues on these curves must be regarded with caution due to sparsityof data.While the relationship between individual variables and top heightcan give a graphical indication of productivity categories in terms ofvolume, basal area and diameter, it was felt that a combination ofthese variables combined could provide a better instrument forpredicting volume. It was also desirable to see if basal area, ordominant diameter-as easily measurable variables, were more

Crop Structure and Productivity for Unthinned Sitka Spruce 45closely related to volume productivity. Finally it was necessary to seeif the main remaining crop variable likely to influence production,i.e. stems per ha. (S) might improve volume/height and basal area/ht.relationships. Some comparisons were made.To see which of the two productivity categories, basal area ordominant diameter, was more closely related to volume at any topheight, the residuals of the Y estimates from observed values inequation (1) were compared with those in (3) and (4). (1) and (3)volume-basal area, compared best.To determine the best relationship of volume to basal area, to topdiameter and to top height in terms of more than one variable aregression of volume on basal area was first calculated giving thefollowing equation:(5) Vs= -833.8008+54.0466-1.9267G2+.0074G3 (F=167)Basal area was then combined with Rd and G. The best fit was themultiple linear equation:(6) Vs= -46.05122+1.5803G+.3472 RdG (F=1069)Combination of G with Dd 2 were less promising the best of thesebeing:(7) V8= 132.1615+.0123 Dd2G-.3953Dd2 (F= 475)and with Dd and Rd.(8) V 8= 17.8757+ 11.4782Rd+.01693 Dd 2 (F=275).Number of stems (S) was combined with Rd, G and Dd but itsinclusion with these variables made no improvement on equations(6) to (8). Equations relating to V t to the above variables weresimilar to those mentioned above, differing slightly in intercepts andcoefficients.It can be seen then that a production class range of volumes, basalareas, and diameters for top height can be calculated on the basis ofa range of curves within which 95 % of the crops sampled would fall.Total stemwood volume is of the order of20m. 3 greater than volumeto 8 cm. top diameter over the range of top heights sampled. Basalarea is more closely related to volume than is dominant diameter andis a better index by which to determine productivity class. Bestcalculations for volume involve a linear combination of basal areaand top height. The variation in volume per hectare for a top heightranges from 160 m. 3 to about 200 m 3 .YIELD CLASSESConsiderable problems were encountered when trying to estimateyield classes or classes of potential maximum mean annual incrementfrom the stands sampled. The main limitation was the sparsity ofcrops at or near rotation age.From the data assembled, however, an attempt has been made to

46 Irish Forestryfind out if volume production (from fig. 2) could be equated with ayield class. This required some comparison with the Forest ManagementTables of Hamilton and Christie (1971).The first problem was to assemble plots in order of their volumeproductivity. This was done by classifying each plot according to aratio of volume (V s)/Age 2 or Mean annual increment/age. Thisratio lay between 0.1 and 1.2 in plots sampled. An arbitrary classificationof five categories according to this ratio was imposed i.c.0.1-0.2, 0.3-0.4, 0.5-0.6, etc. The height age curves were thencalculated from height analysed sampled trees (600 in all) for plotsin each of the height categories. Again polynomial curves were used.Though these curves are not very systematically distributed and arcweak at their higher values they do indicate a range of yield classesplaced in ascending order according to mean annual incrementcapacity at any given age. Only the two lower curves are continuedto anything near rotation age, so deductions are tentative (Fig. 3).Equation (1) would suggest a range of mean annual increments by'Yield Classes' as shown in Table 4.TABLE 4-Approximate Yield Classes (M3/ha/An) for unthinned Sitka spruce,compared with Forest Management Table (1971) ClassesAge yrsM3/Ha./Annum10 7 5 ( 4)* -20 16 14 (14) 12 (10)30 I -- -40-- -IY.c. (24) (20)*(4) Forest management table classes (1971).- -9 ( 7) 5 ( 4)10 (12) 8 ( 6)14 (15) 9 (10)(16) (12)On this basis the 5 classes can be approximated to intervals of4m 3 /ha/an. when compared with those of Hamilton and Christie.Again deductions for older classes are only as good as the volume!height curve at these points.OTHER COMPARISONSAs all the crops dealt with were un thinned it was feIt desirabletc investigate natural mortality. Mortality expressed as a percentageof the number of all stems is up to 3 times that expressed as apercentage of basal area. Age and number of stems are the mostimportant influencing factors; top height to a lesser degree. Therelationship of % basal area dead against top height is shown onfig. 4. Mortality increases beyond 14m. top height. The highest

Crop Structure and Productivity for Unthinned Sitka Spruce 4714 %Basal areadead/ila.121086424 8 12 16 '20Top Heightl"ig. 3. Percentage basal area mortality in unthinned Sitka spruce for topheight. .mmortality figures encountered were approximately 40% of stemsdead, equivalent to 20% of basal area at a high stocking level (over5,000 per ha.) in a 36 year crop

48211815top'ht.mIrish ForestryIIIIffIfIII24/1---___ -;16/ I.1296II/""",-r.-/,/'"6/ / 12 survey data YC [estJ./ 12 BFC [19711 YC1020 30 40age yrsFig. 4. Height/age categories of unthinned Sitka spruce for yield classesdefined by volume production per annum at any age.DISCUSSION ON YIELD AND PRODUCTIVITY CLASSESThe productivity classes which have been calculated representa wider range of production for top height, especially in youngcrops that has heretofore, been realised in this country. Patternsfor unthinned stands are not quite the same as shown by Hamiltonand Christie (1971) for thinned stands. In figure 5 production

Crop Structure and Productivity for Unthinned Sitka Spruce 49Vo I to 8cm topdiam./ha.m380600400/'" '" /'""'"'"//200- survey- - - BFC[1971]4 8 12 16Top Height m}'ig. 5. Calculated productivity classes for unthinned Sitka spruce: comparedwith production classes of the Forest Management Tables(1971).20'24bands (al, b\ c l ) derived from the curves shown in figure 2 arecompared with bands shown in the Forest management tables(a, b, c). The "b l ", band runs along the "a" band for most of itslength except in the 16-20m. top height area. Beyond 16m. topheight data become scarce so that the rest of the band must not begiven undue importance. The few measured plots over 16m. topheight occur both ,over and under the average production curveso it is not really 'possible to conclude if beyond this top heightthe average production is similaa- to the average of that in theForest Management Tables, or if it remains above it. It is evident,however, that in young unthinned stands average production issome 60m 3 per ha. greater for top height than shown in the tablesof Hamilton and Christie. Though very high relative productionfor top height can be found in young unthinned stands they tendto approach standards in the Forest Management Tables (1971) as

50 ' - Irish Forestrythey grow older. The average production however, ("b I " band) hereremains a little higher than the Tables, in the order of 20-40m. 3 /ha.Arising from the exercise in constructing yield classes fromthe unthinned spruce stands it would seem that classes well over24m 3 /ha./annum might be obtained. The evidence for this figurelS the rate of M.A.!. at early stages and the similarity in shape:between the height/age curves got from plots and those fromHamilton and Christie (1971) (fig. 3). The increments within thesecategories have been obtained from the volume/top height curve(fig. 3 Equation 1) so again the question as to the validity of thiscurve at top heights over 16m. must be cons~dered. Two possibilitiesarise here: (1) If the volume curve falls back to the ManagementTable (1971) curve or below it, the possibility of shorter rotationsfor approximately the same yield classes might be entertained; (2)but on the indications of the sparse data above 16m. top heightrotations might be longer but yield h:gher. The only way to verifythis will be to moniter permanent plots to 45 years or over. Anotherpoint to be considered is whether the reduction in volumeincrement for top height at 16m. is related to growth potential orto stand condition. More open stocking m:ght achieve betterproduction at this point and the increase of mortality for topheights between 12-16m. will be of interest here.SUMMARY OF MAIN CONCLUSIONS(1) Crop structure pattern for top height in terms of one variable,volume, basal area or top diameter can be determined by curvesand the areas within which 95 % of samples fall. Best volumepredictions can be made through equations including both topheight and basal area.(2) There is likelyto'be a wide variation in volume productivityfor top height which can be as much as ± 100m3/ha. This isreflected in basal area arid dominant diameter.(3) Average production for top height in all young unthinnedstands is likely to be higher than indicated in the Forest ManagementTables (1971). Average production of lower yield class&lands is likely to be higher in both young and and older stands .. (4) Sampled stands suggest yield classes up to over 24m 3 /ha./annum with each yield class having a range of at least ± 2m. 3 •Height age curves approximate the Forest Management Tablescurves (1971).(5) The volume/top height relationships suggest some reductionin productivity at 14-16m. top height due possibly to limitations indata or to crop conditions. This has some implications:

Crop Structure and Productivity for Unthinned Sitka Spruce 51(1) The possib~lity of equivalent yield classes but shorter rotationsthan indicated in the Forest Management Tables(1971).(II) The possibility of a temporary reduction in productivity duepossibly to stand conditons, with greater final production.(6) Total stemwood production is equivalent to V plus approxi-8mately 20m. 3 /ha. This comes from small sized trees and tops.(7) Mortality is not high up to 16m. top height (some 5%). Thereis tentative evidence that it increases fairly rapidly from then on.(8) Altitude, Aspect and Slope did not correlate well with eithervolume or height.MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS(1) The data suggested a slight inverse correlation betweenhigh volume ratios and top height and also between altitude andtop height. Considerable leader breakage was observed during thesurvey so that there may be some link between exposure, leaderbreakage, and high production for top height(2) When the survey was undertaken, plots were grouped accordingto four arbitrary regions.(I) East(II) Northwest(III) Midlands(IV) Southwest.The percentage of stands with high volumes for top height weregreater in the order (I) to (IV).Overall differences between crop structure in unthinned standsand that shown by the tables of Hamilton and Christie for thinnedstands appear to exist. These might well influence the futuremanagement of the species here and investigations on potentialincrement at rotation age are warranted. There is a need to studystands at varying stocking levels, especially those approachingculmination of increment.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSAcknowledgements are due to Mr. W. Luddy, Mr. A. Buckleyand the late Mr. S. Dennehy who carried out field work; and toMr. A. O'Leary and Mr. D. O'Brien for assistance in computationand analysis.

52 I rish ForestryRef~rences:Bradley, R. T., 1970, Thinning Control in Britain Woodlands,Booklet 17. For Comm. Lond.--, Johnson, D. R., Christie, T. M., 1967 Forest ManagementTables. Booklet 16. For Comm. Lond.Christie, J. M., 1970, The Characterisation of the relationshipsbetween basic parameters in yield table construction.Pap. to Advisory. Groups by Forest Statiscians ofI.U.F.R.O. Section 25. Joyey-en-Josas. (mimeo).Davies, O. L., 1961, Statistical methods in Research and Production.Oliver and Boyd for I.e.I., Lond.Gallagher, G., 1970, A Preliminary investigation into variationin Pole Stands. Pap. t()l WorkIig Group. 9 I.U.F.R.O.Section 25 Freilburg (mimeo).Christie, J. M., and Hamilton, G. T. 1971. Forest ManagementTables (Metric) Booklet 34 For. Comm. Lond.Bradley, R. T., and Johnson, D. R., 1963, Forest ManagementTables Comm. For. Review 43 (3).Oswarld, H., 1969, Conditions Forestierers et PotentialiteD'Epicea en L'laute Ardeche. Ann Sci Forest 26 (2) 183-224.Page, G., 1970, Quantitative site assessment-some practicalapplication in British forestry 43 (1) 45-56.

Trees Woods and Literature- · 7A well-kempt forest begs Our Lady's grace;Someone is not disgusted, or at leastIs laying bets upon the human raceRetaining enough decency to last;The trees encountered on a country strollReveal a lot about a coun1ry's soul.A small grove massacred to the last ash,An oak with heart-rot, give away the show;This great society is going smash;They cannot fool us with how fast they gO',How much they cost each other and the gods.A culture is no better than its woods.llhe dosing stanzas of W oods,rrom ColleCited Shorter Poems1927-1957 by W. H. Auden. R,epl1inted by permission of Faberand Faber Ltd.Wystan Hugh Auden was born in York in 1907, and, apartfrom a short spell of teaching after he left Oxford, and a periodas an ambulance driver for the Republican side during theSpanish Civil War, he has spent his entire working life as a fulltimepoet. At the outbreak of the second world war he emigratedto the United States, and subsequently became an Americancitizen. He was Professor of Poetry at Oxford, a five-yearappointment, from 1956 to 1961.Auden has said that he began writing poetry because at the ageof fifteen a friend suggested that he should: the thought had neveroccurred to him. His first collection of poems was published in1930 and he has since published over 30 books, most of them hisown verse, but including a number of anthologies and somecriticism.He became widely known as the assumed leader of a group ofleft wing poets in England in the 1930s and has been consistentlyregarded as one of the most important and interesting poets of histime. Cecil Day-Lewis, the Irish-born Poet-Laureate, who diedrecently, has been recorded as saying: "In 100 years' time Eliotmay be a literary footnote, but Auden wil! be a giant."

MeetingsInternational Peat Congress-HelsinkiThe fourth International Peat Congress was held in Helsinki,Finland from 25th to 30th June, 1972. Three Irish foresters attended,two from Northern Ireland and one from the Republic.Papers contributed to the formal sessions of the Congress havebeen published by the International Peat Society in 4 volumes. Theydeal respectively with Virgin Peatlands; Peat Industry; Agriculture,Horticulture and Forestry and Peat Chemistry and Physics.Two associated tours in south Finland were of particular relevanceto forestry and dealt mainly with the classification of peatlands anddrainage.Many Finnish peatlands are raised bogs; there are no climaticblanket bogs. Classification is based on A. K. Cajander's system inwhich potential site productivity is determined by natural vegetationtypes. Modern adaptations recognise 3 main divisions: open peatlands,pine swamps and spruce swamps. These are subdividedaccording to ground vegetation. Years of research, particularly intothe effects of drainage and more recently on fertilisers have made itpossible to predict in economic terms the effects of treatmentsapplied to some sites.Responses to drainage of bogs in terms of tree growth are remarkableby Irish standards. This is largely because over most of Finlandprecipitation is about 600 mm a year much of which falls in the wintermonths. Summers are relatively hot and dry so that followingdrainage at 50-70 m spacings and 70 em deep the peat surfacedecomposes releasing nutrients, particularly nitrogen. For comparison,in the west and north of Ireland precipitation is about1,200-2,000 mm and much more evenly spread throughout the year.These conditions favour the formation of blanket bogs and to datelittle, if any, response has been detected to far more intensive drainageregimes.Although drainage in Finland results in substantially lower watertables, tree roots do not penetrate to depths greater than about10-15 cm. This is similar to rooting depths found on peat in Ireland,but Finland, unlike Ireland, does not suffer from gales and windthrowncrops.P. S. SavillGrassland or Forestry, BlessingtonA symposium entitled Grassland or Forestry for Marginal Land,organised by the Irish Society of Agronomy and Land Use, washeld at Blessington, Co. Wicklow on 21st April 1972. Five separate

M eetings 55papers were presented, each followed by a discussion. Mr. J.Mulqueen of the Agricultural Institute in a paper on GrazingPotential on Wet Drumlins stressed the extreme impermeability ofthese soils, which cover an area of about 1.2 million acres in theRepublic, and the great difficulty, if not impossibility, of achievingany degree of satisfactory drainage in them.The Place of Forestry on Marginal Land was the title of a papergiven by Mr. N. Morris of the Forest and Wildlife Service, in thecourse of which he showed that in such areas the employment contentof forestry is at least as good as that of agriculture. He also advertedto the overproduction of agricultural produce in Europe and thehigh cost in subsidies.Mr. B. C. Hickey of the Agricultural Institute gave a paperentitled Economic Aspects of Grazing and Forestry on Marginal Lands.This was a rather pioneering attempt to make a direct economiccomparison between the two enterprises. He found that on wetdrumlin land a random sample of farms showed a lower rate ofreturn than that obtainable from forestry.One of the most interesting comments of the symposium was thatmade by one contributor who, besides farming in a big way, alsoacts as a financial consultant and advisor. He suggested that, takingcurrent inflation rates into account, a discount rate of 2.5-3.0 %might be more realistic for forestry calculations. He' pointed out thatan investment of £1 00-£ 120 in afforestation in Leitrim could purchasea present value of about £350 when discounted at 3.5 %. This wouldbe very attractive to an investor who was not too concerned aboutshort-term income.N. O'Carroll

Notes and NewsCOVER PHaIOGRAPHThe corver shows :a plrane tree (X Platanus acerifoli'a) ,in thegrounds of the Natural History Museum, Me,rion Street, Dublin,photographed on 24th November 1971. It can be seen that nearlyall of the leaves have fallen, with the exception of a large numberin that portion of the crown subject to the influence of the nearbystreet lamp.AERIAL FERTILIZATIONTwo trials of aerial fertilization by he:icopter were carried out bythe Forest and Wildlife Service, Dublin, recently. Both trials werein Co. Wicklow. In Blessington forest 88 ha (217 acres) were treatedin November 1971, and at Ballinagee forest an area of 215 ha(532 acres) was covered in March 1972. With the increased appreciationof the importance of fertilizat'on in timber production thisis a practice which will develop rapidly in future, as it alreadyhas done in some countries, notably Finland and Sweden. In thosecountries, with their relatirvely flat topography and large blocks offorest, fixed wing aircraft can be used. Conditions in Ireland aresuch that helicopters will normally be more economic. Theseconditions are: relatively rugged topography, lack of suitable air-

Notes and News 57strips, scattered blocks of forest but with intensive road networksallowing a good distribution of fertilizer dumps.In carrying out the operation two. hoppers are used. One isrefilled while the contents of the other are being distributed.The quality of aerial fertilization is reflected primarily in theuniformity with which the fertilizer is spread over the target area.Non-uniform distribution can lead to inefficient utilization of thefertilizer by the crop and to management difficulties later on as aresult of uneven growth of the trees. The problem of rapidlyassessing the degree of uniformity actually achieved in large-scaleoperations is being examined by the Research Branch of the Forestand Wildlife Service.PINE SAWFLIES AT FORTHMr. G. deBrit, Research Branch, Forest and Wildlife Service,Dublin, has supplied the following note:-In 1971, and probably in 1970 as well, there was a massive attackof the sawfly Diprion pini alt Forth fQ!rest, Co. Wexford. Theoutbreak collapsed this year probably due to predators andparasites of the sawflies. The crop attacked was of good coastalcontorta pine about 12m. high, in the thinning stage. This is, Ithink, the first serious outbreak in the country of this insect onIcontorta pine of this age and height. It normaIly confines itsattacks to trees from five to twelve years planted. The standsattacked were planted in 1933. Severe attack by D. pini over twoor three years can kill the trees and this has happened to someextent alt Forth. This is an contrast with atJ:acks by Neodiprionsertifer where trees are rarely kiHed, if ever. D. pini eats all Ithefoliage including that of the current year, while N. sertifer confinesits feeding to needles older than the current year's.At pres.ent N . sertifer is by far Ithe more abundant of the two inthis country. However, the fact that D. pini has demonstrated illsubllity to build up to damaging proportions is worrying. One hopesthat this is due to the dry warm weather experienced over the lastfew years, and not to a permanent ecological adaptation by theinsect.CASTLEWElJLAN ARBORETUMThe follwing note has been supplied by Mr. R. T. Sherwood,DIstrict Forest Officer, Castlewellan, Co. Down.In 1967 the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculturepurchased Castlewellan Estate and included in that purchase wasthe aIready world famous" CastleweHan Gardens". The main work

58 Irish Forestryof starting and building up the collection was originally carried outby the 5th Earl of Annesley in the late 1800 s and it is thanks tothe interest and the sheer hard work of the Annesley family that thecollection survived and was in the excellent state it was when theForestry Division took over.From the outset it was the Ministry's intention, not only to;preserve the superb collection of trees -and shrubs hut, in factto extend it.At the time of acquisition the main Arboretum comprisedapproximately 20 acres. Following various planning meetings it wasdecided to extend the area to just over 80 acres. This was done,in the sense that the area has been delineated, some parts arehighly developed, some recently oleared of dense scrub and someunder mature hardwoods.At present Castlewellan comprises an extremely comprehensivecollection of conifers, hardwoods, woody shrubs. Of the latterrhododendrons are well represented. In addition there is a fairsized glass area in three sections, a water lily house, what is knownas the' long house', which itself is sub-divided into indoor tenderrhododendrons, an alpine section, and a general section. The lasthouse of the three is given over entirely to camelias.At the present time work is well advanced in catalogueing andrecording, not only by name but also by actual ground position,each specimen present.The final aim is to build up an international arboretum of outstandingtrees with emphasis on selection rather than collection.The" walled garden' section of the Arboretum is extremely wellpatronised by the visiting public and it is possible by prior arrangementonly, to take a limited number of parties on guided tours.COMING OF AGEThe well-known forestry and timber concern, Irish ForestProducts Ltd., has been .in existence for 21 years. To mark theoccasion a Garden and Leisure Display Centre at Glen 0' Downswas opened by the Minister for Agricucltu i'e, Mr. J. Gibbons, on30th September, 1972.PEAT-THE NEW RAW MATERIALUntil recently the very large Canadian peat deposits have beenused mainly as a soil conditioners. But now scientists, financed bythe National Research Council of Canada, have been investigatingother possible use for this material. Three such applications are:(1) effluent treatment, (2) industrial filtrations, (3) construction

Notes and News 59material. Laboratory tests show that peat can absorb ten times asmuch protein as carbon and that in a relatively short time morethan 95% of the effluent surfactants present are absorbed. The useof' peat to absorb oil sp:ead over large water areas is also being{'xamined as it is known that peat can absorb 8 to 12 times itsweight in oil. Industrial filtration tests are being carried out at apaper and pulp works, where a small pilot plant has been built tof;tudy the use of peat moss in .the treatment of the plant's wastewaters by a filtration process. Peat, when heated under pressure, istransformed to a hard plastic. Thus, 'peat boards' havingmechanical properties similar to other laminates could be apossible use in the construction industry. Other uses are still underinvestigation. (From Technology Ireland, Februa'fy 1972).New MembersNew MembersThe following new members have been enrolled in the Society since1st January 1972.Technical:-Messrs. M . Barry (Dunmanway), G. Beirne (Ballybofey),J. Brennan (Bantry), M. Bulfin (Dublin), S. Carney (CastIebar), S. Casey(Watergrasshill), J. Cronin (Letterkenny), D . Dinneen (Co. Clare), M.Donnelly (Boyle), M . Duggan (Rathdrum), D. Egan (Co. Kerry), J .Fanning (Graiguenamanagh), C . Farmer (Co. Ferrnanagh), G. Farragher(Crossmolina) A. Finnerty (Bailieborough), B. Friel (Boyle), J. Gardiner(Dublin). S. Glynn (Co. Leitrim), J. Hanley (Dundrum, Co. Tipp.),P. Hanrahan (Mount Bellew), J. K elleher (P'ort Laoise)., J . Kelly (Claremorris),E. Kingston (Rathdrum), E. Larkin (Dublin), S. MacCarthaigh(Cork), G. McCarthy (Kilkenny), J. McCarthy (Doneraile)" J. McCarthy(Kinnitty). R . McConnell (Dublin), P. MacOsgair (Dublin), P . Maguire(Mullingar), F. Moran (Co. Dublin). M. Moroney (Mitchellstown), Mrs ..f. Neff (Dublin), Messrs. C Nyhan (Kenmare), D. O 'Connor (Bantry) ,B. O'Neill (Arklow), T . Purcell (Dublin), D. Robinson (Dublin), J. Wilson(Dublin) .Associate:-Messrs. P. Callinan (Dublin), J Cashman (Cork), Mrs. B.Connelly ,(Bray), Lord Digby (Co. Offaly), Messrs. S. Franklin (Limerick),Dr. R. Hayes (Cavan),! Mrs, E . Tottenham (Co. Wicklow), Messrs. G.Tottenham (CD Clare), H . Sullivan (Dublin).

ObituaryANTHONY M. S. HANAN(1923---1972)The sudden and unexpected death ofMr. A. M. S. Hanan on Easter Saturday1972 at the early age of forty eight hasdeprived not only the Forest and WildlifeService but, it can be said, the countryas a whole of its foremost arboricul·turist and of the benefits that would haveflowed from his great knowledge of treesand his vast influenCe in his field.In his eight years as head of the JohnF. Kennedy Park in Co. Wexford Mr.Hanan, by his knowledge, dedicationand ceaseless endeavour was the mainforce in creating from 400 acres of farmlandon the slopes of Slieve Coillte, an arboretem and forest parkof world ' sta'ndards which is already something of which OUfcountry can be proud. This was his great achievement and willstand permanently as a memorial to him.Tony Hanan took his forestry degree from T.C.D. in 1949 andworked jn private forestry for the next three years. It was at thattime that he showed his aptitude and talent for dendrology andtaxonomy and did valuable work at the well known arboretumat Powerscourt. He entered the Forestry Service in 1952 andworked at Shelton for two years. He served as a land acquisitioninspector before joining the newly founded Research Branch in1957 to work on the 1958 Census of Woodlands. Later asSectional head he was responsible for studies in tree species andtimber technology.Late in 1963 the Irish Government established a forest park andarboretum near the Kennedy ancestral home at New Ross, to thememory of President Kennedy, with financial assistance andencouragement from Irish American Societies. The aim was toprovide a ~cientifically based collection of tree species and shrubsfrom alI over the world. An inter.departmental comm.ittee wasset up to guide the proiect and Mr. H~nan was put in charge ofthe operation. Starting from scratch and facing divers new andurgent challenges Mr. Hanan showed great versatility and skil1and brou!!ht great credit on himself and his profession. He provedparticularlv skilful and sensitive on landscape and amenHyaspects of the work. He had the satisfaction of seeing the Park

Obituary 61opened on 29th May 1968 by Eamon de Valera, President ofIreland, in the presence of a distinguished international gathering.Since then about half a million people have visited the Park.As a part of his work Mr. Hanan visited most major arboretain the U.S.A., Great Britain and Europe. Also in his own timeand family travels he was untiring in his efforts to visit treecollections even as far away as North America and thus increasehis already extensive knowledge.Tony Hanan made a big contribution in his own unassumingway to the Society of Irish Foresters. He was Councillor from1957 to 1961, Treasurer 1961-64 and Vice President in 1967.During these times, too, and later, he did much organisationalwork as Convener of Study Tours, Society outings and indoormeetings. His lecture at the R.D.s. in 1970, as a contribution toEuropean Conservation Year, on "Irish Arboreta-Past, Presentand Future" will be remembered as one of the outstanding eventsin the history of the Society and of that year. A diffident man,nevertheless he always faced up to the challenges which confrontedhim and with great courage, overcame them, and succeededbetter than most.Apart from his Society activities Mr. Hanan gave very generouslyof his own time in giving lectures to various societies inmany places in the country and became wen known and muchsought after in this respect.Tony Hanan was born and lived practically all his life nearEnniskerry in perhaps the most beautiful sylvan surroundings inour country so, perhaps, it is no wonder he became a dedicatedman of trees with great appreciation for the country and annatural beauty. He had an abhorrence of aU activities that tendedto degrade the landscape of Ireland which he dearly loved. Itseems appropriate that he should be laid to rest in the shade ofthe great Douglas Fir trees in that beautiful cemetery at the topof Enniskerry Hill.He will be missed and deeply regretted by his colleagues and anwho knew him, and they win think of him as a thoroughly goodman and associate the highest qualities of integrity, christiancharity and dedication with their personal memory of him. Afterhis family, his Hfe was spent in the service of his trees, his churchand his country.To his wife who was so much a part of everything he did, to hisson and two daughters, OUr deepest sympathy.O. V. MOONEY.E. E. FURLONG.

ReviewsThe Pruning of Trees, Shrubs andConifersGeorge E. BrownFaber & Faber, £9In this book Dr. Brown achieves, in a very thorough and up-todatemanner not only the purpose which the title suggests, but alsohe ranges widely over associated fields of information which arealways important and often essential adjuncts to the pruningoperation. It is a very comprehensive work within the limitssuccintly defined in a preface yet, because the author has done hisjob so thoroughly, one regrets the deliberate exclusion of anydetailed divergence into the art of Tree Surgery which is sowidely neglected in this country and, I suspect, even if less sO', inBritain also. Still, at various points in the book the authoremphasises the importance of Tree Surgery to an extent that it isplain to the reader that anyone, or any public body, concerned withthe pruning of trees young, and particularly old, should have acompetent knowledge of the subject.The treatment and training of trees in the nursery stage both asyoung standard stock and for "semi mature" stock is rightlyemphasised as being vital and how this can be done is welldescribed.Pest and disease control are wen if briefly dealt with and one isglad to note that Mr. Brown does not miss the cue to emphasisethat pruning wounds should be treated with protective dressingsimmediately after cuts are made but, at the same time, one wouldhave liked to have had more on the efficacy of various chemicalsfor cut and wound dressings on trees.Another feature the perhaps too exacting reviewer had hopedto read about was the old art of topiary but this is dealt with onlyvery briefly. An example of the range lmd practical value of thisbook is to be found in Appendix III. Tools and equipment. andA ppendix IV Saw Sharpening and Maintenance, the latter beinga classic in clarifying on the detail of "saw doctoring," an artnow unfortunately almost unknown amongst foresters. Neitherdoes the author overlook the possibility of things going wrong and

Reviews 63includes an Appendix VI by Grace M. Webber, S.R.N., O.N.D.,on Accident Prevention and First Aid in which the modern tendencyto long hair styles is adverted to as a potential hazard inthe use of machinery.One of the outstanding features of this book is the illustrationsand the 86 explanatory photographic plates, the latter in particularmaking it an instructive joy to turn to as reference to the text.Another most useful feature is the Alphabetical List of Generaand their Specific Pruning Needs under which in 222 pages some450 genera 'a'I'e dea,lt with, some, such as Rosa, ~n con:siderahledetail. Few relevant genera can have been missed out and theinclusion of such marginal species as, Empel'rum nigrum emphasiseits range. However, the forester might wonder if the conifers gettheir faJir share in this section. Abies has thirteen Jines and Piceaseven, both genera which contain many ornamental species, whileQuercus gets more than Ithree pages, and Populus two. Howeverfrom the more general point of view this alphabetical list is amine of information on a great number of particular species.It is particularly valuable as a quick reference to the treatmentof most tree Or shrub species in use as single or grouped specimens,or as hedging plants. The difficult problem for most amateurs, thatis the time to prune, or to dip a hedge, is always dealt withthoroughly.As with most works on gardening and horticulture generallywritten for conditions in Britain the passages on climatic influences~hould be read with caution as our more tolerant climate in Irelandimposes less severe limits on growing many tender species. Dr.Brown's 'approach to such genera as Fuchsia, Eucalyptus, andsome others, emphasises this point.As might be expected the author's nomec1ature is immaculatelycorrect and up-to-date and he does not forget either the lesserbeings such as your reviewer, when he includes a glossary whichunravels the mysteries of such terms as bigeneric hybrid, chimaera,cultivar and so on.In these times when versatility is much in demand from forestersI feel that a book of this sort should be available to them in theirstudent days and to hand as a reference afterwards. To any of uswho are involved in arboretum and landscaping work of any kindthe book is essential for reading and permanent reference.In the wider field I am quite sure that it should be available toand studied by all horticulturalists, aboriculturalists and landscapeplanners working in the public service, and hopefully, it mightfind its way onto the tables of our more reputable building firms.

64 Irish ForestryIn reviewing one tends to look for points of legitimate criticlsn.and incidences of inaccuracy, but there are little if any groundsfor this sort of thing in this well constructed and knowledgeablebook which, the reviewer for one, has read with great pleasureand benefit.O. V. MOONEY.Conifers in the British IslesA Descriptive Handbookby A. F. MITCHELLBritish Forestry Commission Booklet No. 33H.M.S.O. £2.25In this year of an Olympiad one might readily liken this publicationto a reference book of records in the Olympiad of the Conifers.In fact tile booklet is a companion volume to the report of theproceedirigs of the third Conifer Conference convened in 1970 bythe Royal Horticultural Society, "Conifers in the British Isles", andalso published this year. The detailed tables, of which there are 130,give location, date of planting where known, together with recentand early measurements of height and girth, thus providing a mostconvenient reference to the record trees, being a selection of over18,000 measurements by the author on 580 estates in Britain andIreland, covering 270 species and a further 217 cultivars or varieties.Mr Mitchell is already well known for his energy and scholarshipin matters dendrological. This publication, adding further to hisreputation, takes its place in the sequence of memorable recordingsfrom the first Conifer Conference of 1891, when original trees sentby David Douglas were youngsters of sixty years or so, to theimmense work of Elwes and Henry, 1906 to 1913, and to the secondConifer Conference of 1931.With Ireland's favoured conditions for conifer growth, particularlyin the East as mentioned by the author, this booklet is of specialinterest to us. There are frequent references to arboreta and gardenswhich will be well known in forest circles here. The ready comparisonof species here and in Britain and particularly in Scotland is invaluable.Keys to species of the 43 genera described in the text are providedbut as is usual with keys they are more confirmatory than definitive

Reviews 65where the fine lines of division are sought to separate varietIes. It isof interest that the four specimens of P. contorta quoted fromAshford Castle are listed as P. contorta var. contorta rather thanvar. bolanderi. The author's comments and notes on various speciesand growth characteristics, distributed liberally throughout thetext add greatly to its value.Together with 24 full,page plates in~black and white the 203 linedrawings by Christine Darter are excellent and one wishes for moreof them-and in natural size rather than the off-putting two-thirdsscale size. The work is more likely to appeal to the initiated becauseof the nature of the subject but an extended glossary and an illustratedguide to the use of typical keys together with notes on thestandard method of measurement and confirmation that girth istabulated rather than diameter, as in the companion booklet, wouldwiden its considerable appeal in forest and estate circles andparticularly among students. No doubt the question of cost deterredthe publishers from providing a hard cover in a general edition, butfor those for whom this work will be an ever-flowing well of knowledgethe additional cost of having the booklet thus covered will bejustified.J. F. DurandOTHER PUBLICATIONS RECEIVEDFORESTRY COMMISSION PUBLICA nONSForest fencing, by H. W. Pepper and L. A. Tee. Forest RecordNo. 80, 1972. (To be reviewed in our neX1t iss.ue). 35pDutch elm disease survey 1971, by J. N. Gilbbs and R S. Howell.Forest Record No. 82, 1972.25pThe control of Dutch elm disease, by D. A. Burdekin, J. N. Gibbsand A. F. Mitchel Leaflet No. 82, 19726pEast Anglian forests, edited by H. L. SHin. Forestry CommissionGuide, 1972.LZpWoodworking machines in four languages, by H. E. Horten. HartPublishing Company Inc., New York.No price

Society ActivitiesMinutes of the 30th Annual General Meeting, 4th March, 1972, in theShelhourne HotelThe outgoing President, Mr H. M . Fitzpatrick, opened the proceedingsand welcomed those present.. The Minutes of the 29th A.G.M., having beenpublished in the Journal, were taken as read, and were signed. The CouncilReport for 1971 was read and as a result it was hoped that two issues of theJournal would be published in future. The adoption of the Council reportwas proposed and seconded by Messrs. Kilpatrick and Hanan.The Treasurer, presenting the Abstract of Accounts, commented on theincrease in the cost of printing and postage, and stated that it was largelydue to the cost of printing the Constitution and Index. He also commentedon the £200 increase in advertisement, and regretted the necessity ofhaving to cash the Prize Bonds. On the question of the Society's Book­"The Forests of Ireland "-it was stated that 846 copies had now beendisposed of, 35 having been disposed of in 1971.In a discussion which followed the Treasurer's report it was generallyregretted that the Prize Bonds had been cashed and that no honorarium hadbeen paid to the Council members. It was stated that for the past number ofyears the Society was spending more money than it was earning, and stepswould have to be taken to remedy the situation. The steps suggested wereto increase the membership and reorganise the Journal so that it would payfor itself. The Editor pointed out that during the year a Constitution andIndex were printed" neither of which carried any advertisements, andwhether or not the Journal pays for itself will depend on the number ofadvertisements it will carry. It was also suggested that the membership feeshould be increased, otherwise only one issue of the Journal be published.It was propesed by Professor Clear and seconded by Mr. M. McNamarathat the Statement of Accounts be adopted.Mr. Fitzpatrick then read the result of the 1971 Council election:President: Dr. W. H. Jack.Vice President: Dr. ]. F . Durand.Secretary: Mr. ]. P. Connelly.Treasurer: Mr. F . Mulloy.Editor: Mr. N. O'Carroll.Business Editor: Mr. M. Sharkey.Auditor: Mr. D. M . Craig.Councillors:Technical: Mr. G. Hipwell.Mr. T . V . O'Brien.Mr. ]. 1. Prior.Associate:Miss E. Furlong.Mr. S. Galvin.The Chair was .~hen t~ken by the incoming President, Dr. Jack, who paidtnbute to Mr. Fltzpatnck for the excellent job he did during his termas President.Dr. Joyce, Meetings Convener, outlined the Meeting Programme alldstated that the Annual Study Tour would take place in West Cork fromj 2th to 16th June.Th~ President ,then urged the members to attend as many of the Society'sfunct~ons as pOSSible, and as there was no further business, he brought theMeetmg to a close.]. P. CONNELLY (Hon. Sec. ) .

COUNCIL REPORT FOR 1971Following the glare of publicity received by the Society oflrish Foresters in 1970,due to Conservation Year, the Society in 1971 returned to its more usualactivities.Meetings: A full quota of indoor and outdoor meetings were held. Considerableprogress was made in increasing attendances. Particularly successful were anumber of seminars held during the Winter months. Forest walks held inSeptember indicate that there is a public demand for this type of educationalmeeting.Study Tour: The Annual Study Tour was held in Counties Fermanagh andTyrone. The participating party which was based at Belleek enjoyed a veryinformative tour. Our thanks are due to The Northern Ministry of Agriculturewho organised the tour, and for their generous hospitality.A.G.M.: The Annual General Meeting of the Society was held at the RoyalDublin Society on 13th March, the minutes of which were written up in Volume28 No.1, of the Journal. Dr. W. E. S. Mutch of Edinburgh University read avery interesting paper on Forest Economics-Evaluation for Rural Development.Library: The Society supplied the National Library of Ireland with a set ofavailable journals.Examination: Two Candidates presented themselves for the Woodman'sCertificate. Both were successful. One Candidate presented himself for theForesters Certificate.Journals: An index to Journals was circulated to all members. Two issues ofthe journal were published during the year. The first of these was No. 2 ofVol. 27, the volume for 1970, which had been delayed. Because of financialdifficulties which developed during the year the Council decided to restrict thejournal to one issue during 1971. Since the decision was not made until afterpublication of that issue it is marked Volume 28, No. 1.Election: Elections were held for the positions of Vice-President and CounciIIerTechnical (3 posts). Whereas polling was higher than usual many members didnot avail of their voting rights.Financial: The running expenses of the Society have increased considerably inthe last number of years. Due to this it was necessary to increase membershipfees to £2.50, in the case of Technical Members and £2.00 in the case of AssociateMembers.Council Meetings: (Six Council Meetings were held during the year). Attendanceat Council Meetings were as follows: Messrs H. M. Fitzpatrick; M. E. Cassidy;J. F. Durand; M. Sharkey and P. M. Joyce, 6 meetings. Miss E. Furlong andMr. J. Prior, 5 meetings. Messrs R. 0 Cinneide; E. Joyce; N. O'Carroll andD. Walsh, 4 meetings. Dr. W. H. Jack; Messrs M.I J. Sheridan and W. G.Dallas, 2 meetings.J. P. CONNELLY7th February, 1972.Secretary

1970£388 01360 496 5078 46130418300STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1971RECEIPTS £ p £ p 1970 EXPENDITURE £ p £ pTo balance from last account 104 49 £148 03 By Stationery and Printing 183 44" Subscriptions received: 649 69 " Printing of Journal and Reprints 1076 114 Technical Grade 1 1969 5 50 99 62 ,. Postages 145 8942 1970 76 75 52 71 " Expenses re Meetings 62 65971971 191 · 50 3 88 " Bank Charges and Cheque Book 2 304 " 1972 8 50 Honoraria:4 Grade " 2 1969 5 00 12 50 Secretary62 "1970 88 00 12 50 Treasurer1341971 198 50 12 50 Editor51972 7 50 12 50 Business Editor2 Associate " " 1969 1 00 7 44 Book - The Forests of Ireland31 1970 45 00 5 00 " Insurance - Public Liability91 1971 128 9731972 4 00 Balance in Bank 119 411 Student "1970 1 00 104 49 less overpayments by3 1971 3 00 762 22 members 11 50 l!J7 'IIInterest on Investment 6 50" Journal:U.C.D. ContributionSalesAdvertisements893437145 433 1610 0010 000 8834 6970 00£.1.120 86" Examinatioon Fees:Woodman's Certificate 1 50Foresters CertificateExamination Papers4 005 50" Book -The Forests of Ireland - sales 53 93Glenealy Exhibition" Donations - Honorarium refunded 12 50" Prize Bonds cashed 200 0£1,578 30 I £1,120 86 £1,578 30I have examined the above account, have compared it with the vouchers and certify it to be correct the balance to credit being£107 91 which is on current account at the Ulster Bank Ltd. There is also a holding of £200 Dublin Corporation 5% Redeemable Stock1968/73. Credit has not been taken for Subscriptions amountir,g to £280 25 which were outstanding at 31st December, 1971.D. M. CRAIG. Hon. Auditor,

PUBLIC BUSINESSThe main item of public business was an address by M. X. LeChatelier, of theE.E.C. Commission, Brussels, entitled Forestry in the European EconomicCommunity. The address is printed in full elsewhere in this issue. The vote ofthanks was proposed by Dr. Pierce Ryan, Deputy Director of The AgriculturalI nstitute. The first point that struck him, he said, was the difference in scalebetween European forestry covering 22 % of the territory, compared with about4 % here. There is also the difference in ownership referred to by M. Le Chatelier-with 58% of forests privately owned in the E.E.C. and only 10% in Ireland.A third difference is in the mean age of the forests. Most of ours are recentlyplanted, the age pattern of forests on the Continent is more uniform. It may betherefore that Community regulations on forestry are quite unsuited to oursituation.Production from Irish forests is as yet quite small and economies of scale havehardly begun to operate. We have protected the wood processing industry withrelatively high tariff barriers-as an infant industry capable of development.The general level of tariffs on these products which we will have to accept onbecoming members of the E.E.C. may be considerably lower than those we atpresent have-implying increased competition for our wood processing industriesand a tendency towards lower prices. The production advantages obtained fromour climate and soils for certain types of timber ought to outweigh thesedisadvantages.A more pressing problem for Irish forestry may well be the increasing cost ofland as a result of joining the E.E.C. The price of land is df'termined of courseby the income likely to be derived from it. In the E.E.C. the income expected tobe derived from Irish farmland is expected to increase spectacularly. Sellingprices for beef and mutton in the E.E.C. are confidently expected to be 50%and 70 % above corresponding Irish prices in 1970. Costs are not likely to increaseto anything like the same extent, with the result that gross margins shouldincrease--even at present levels of production. But the major bonus of E.E.C.membership for farming is expected in the environment for expansion which itwill create and the expected intensification of production which will followgivingeven better gross margins. The White Paper estimates that the volume ofoutput of beef will rise by half a million head by 1978 and the volume of milkoutput will increase by over 50%. These increases are easily attainable providedthe capital is provided. Certainly with existing technology our grasslands arecapable of supporting many more cattle.Rational policies of land-use have to take account not only of productionpossibilities arising from climatic or soil factors but of economics and business.The basic problem with regard to Forestry is the length of waiting for a returnon capital. The gross returns, when discounted to the present, give low returnsoftenless than that for unimproved agriculture. Gross margins per acre inagriculture are likely to improve significantly upon our entry to the E.E.C. andthe economic or accounting balance may be tilted against forestry-even ingood forestry areas likeLeitrim. The multi-purpose use of forests and the creationof forest parks is therefore to be welcomed. So also is M. Le Chatelier's newsabout expenditure from the Guidance and Guarantee Fund to finance certainforestry schemes. I w;):Jld like to know, how~v~r, from him whether these grantcan be mlde to a State For~st Corporation or are they designed for privatforestry only.Another point w~ shouli like to hlV~ chrifid is the possibility of repla cemeof m:Jch of th~ tradltlonll wooi m lrket by syoth!t ics. The statistics give a ropicture-of continuing d~J.;its in th! mubt, exactly the sort of environment

70 Irish Forestryencourage the development of substitutes. We have seen some of this developmentin the furniture trade. What is the official opinion of the possibility of suchdevelopment, say in the paper trade?In seconding the vote of thanks, Mr. T. McEvoy, Inspector General, Forestand Wildlife Service, Dublin, wondered was it French or E.E.C. courtesy thatinduced Monsieur Le Chatelier to convert to our Irish, Imperial or British unitsat a time when we are in the process of metrication. Our next Forest Report willbe in hectares and cubic metres-and so one obstacle in the path to Europe willbe removed!We are indebted to Monsieur Le Chatelier for the first authoritative elucidationof forestry problems in the E.E.C. It is all the more welcome because the Government'sbooklet "The Accession of Ireland to the European Communities" issilent on this topic and there has been little public discussion. Last Autumn theAgricultural Science Association did have a discussion with contributions fromthe late H. J. Gray and a representative of the forest products industry buttonight's discussion gains enormously from Monsieur Le Chatelier's contribution,his presence and willingness to answer questions.I must also express my personal pleasure at meeting again one who has becomea familiar and respected figure-and indeed, a friend-at various assemblies inEurope-Rome, Geneva, Strasburg, Brussels.Let me begin my comments by referring to the forestry policy background inthe Republic. Unlike many Irish industries, we in forestry have for many yearsaccepted the idea of free international trade in forest products and we haveworked on the basis of establishing here a forest estate and a forest industrywhich would stand on its own feet without protection or subsidy. The old policyof self sufficiency (Sinn Fein) went long ago and we look forward to producingin time an export surplus. In fact already in the particle board and fibre boardsector, there is a substantial export trade to Britain and elsewhere.It follows that the E.E.C. external tariff on forest products (3-13 %) is for usan "unconvenanted benefit" and will improve our position in, say, the particleboard market which is now of great importance to us as the main outlet forcurrent forest produce i.e. thinnings.Our confidence in this approach to entry to E.E.C. is built on several factors.The first is the inherent advantages we in Ireland possess in our soil and climatefor the rapid growth of certain coniferous species, especially Sitka spruce, fromthe American Pacific coast. Our yields are only seldom attainable on the EuropeanContinent and in Britain obtainable only in the western parts.M. Le Chatelier has given the European average as 36 H. feet, of which 26 isindustrial.Our state forests have an average yield class of 126 representing a productionof 107-115 H. ft. This is a figure which we expect to improve on as we eliminatelow yielders like Contorta Pine (inland and Lulu) and Scots Pine on unsuitablesites. The aim since 1967 has been Yield Class 160 and this has been attained inland acquisition over the last 5 years.Second point is as follows-Allied to this advantage in growth rates is thetrend in the wood market in favour of small size trees. In Europe the traditionalrotation for conifers of up to 150 years yielded prime, clean timber of largedimensions but the market for such timber has become less and less attractive.Large sizes for structural use have been replaced by steel and concrete and morerecently by laminated beams made up from smaller timbers. The Europeanmarket for saw timber generally has grown only slowly-at one third the ratesor small sizes. So much so that by 1980 the proportion of large to small will be3:4 j,e. 25% more small timber than large and 50% more in the British market.

Society Activities 711980 and beyond is what we in Ireland must be concerned with as our forestsexpand and our main production will after year 2000.This trend towards more processed timber favours our produce-nobodyasks whether pulp or particle board is home grown so long as it reaches standardspecification-and our particle board has a very high reputation abroad. AsMonsieur Le Chatelier inferred this trend also favours more processing andemployment at home and a more favourable balance of trade.A third factor in our favour is geography. We are located beside the world'sgreatest import market for wood and wood products-in fact we are part of it.As has been pointed out, Europe is a timber deficit area. So is the E.E.C. as itexists today and it will be even more so with the expected accession of the newmembers next year. Britain is the greatest single national market for woodimports and her forest policy envisages meeting only one third of her needs. Atpresent she produces only 8 % by volume of her requirements. In 1970 woodproducts ranked 4th on her import bill at £561 million.Fourth point I wish to make is-we have some advantages deriving from theunified ownership and planned management of some 90% of our forests by theForest and Wildlife Service. This allows for economies of scale and a planneddevelopment of industry to absorb the increase in output. For in tance, we nowhave a good forecast of forest production up to year 2000 and beyond which hasbeen made available on a regional basis to all forest industries and the IndustrialDevelopment Authority.Our existing forest properties may seem small and scattered by comparisonwith some of the larger European forests (Schwarzwald etc.) and even more soby comparison with forests of the American Pacific coast and of its South EasternStates. Also the costs of harvesting may tend to be higher due to topography,terrain, rock and peat. But time and rotation length-the obverse of growthrate---remain the greatest cost element in the price of wood delivered at theprocessing plant-and we have the advantage here. And oUr forests are stillexpanding so that ultimate size will be quite large. For example, County Wicklowhas an area less than 30 miles square but already has 70,000 acres (13 %) offorest and it is still expanding.My general conclusion is that if we are efficient, if we are careful of our overheadsand adapt mechanical equipment to our site peculiarities and if, above all,we get the right land in the right place, we have nothing to fear.This latter point regarding land brings me to the inter-relationship betweenagriculture and forestry. I accept that we cannot choose forest land in isolationfrom other use alternatives. Land use must fit a pattern which best serves thetotal national interest. It may well be that the balance of advantage on certainmarginal sites will change with the better agricultural prices in the E.E.C. Wecan hardly ignore, however, the facts of what is now happening within the E.E.C.-the great movement away from farming on marginal lands and the concentrationon the better arable lands in favourable climatic situations. If and when weenter the E.E.C. I would be surprised if the same forces do not begin to operatehere. In the long run E.E.C. agricultural policy is not designed to favour highcost producers, and farmers on marginal land tend to be just that if you costtheir time at full labour rates. Further I would expect the subsidies to agricultureto be concentrated in product prices and the subsidies in reclamation grants andother production aids to be gradually eliminated. Professor O'Donoghue (whois now economic adviser to the Taoiseach) referred in 1970 to these aids aseconomic distortions: for instance a drainage reclamation project is decided onthe basis of the farmer's return on his contribution, which may be only one-thirdof the national cost.Taking into account the present small size (in income terms) of farms on

72 I fish Forestrymarginal land, the inherent unfavourable agricultural factors and the proposalsfor retirement p2nsions and retraining schemes for farmers (aided by the E.E.C.Agricultural Fund and the State), I would be surprised if in the long run con­,iderable further areas of good forest land were not released for afforestation,especially in a community threatened on the one hand by agricultural surplusesand alarmed on the other hand by a growing wood shortage.I see no problems of a serious nature in the directives on genetic and externalquality of seeds and plants or in the phytosanitary regularions now underconsideration.Finally it gives me great pleasure on my own behalf and on yours to thankMonsieur Le Chatelier for coming from Brussels and giving us such a clearpicture of forestry in E.E.C.M. Le Chatelier then answered SOine individual questions, and in reply toDr. Ryan's query about grants from the Guidance and Guarantee Fund he saidthat such grants w~re not available for state forestry.In conclusion Dr. W. H. Jack, President, addressed M. Le Chatelier, saying:"Au part de notre Societe des Forestiers lrlandais il faut que je vous presentnos sentiments tres agreablcs. D'abord parce que vous nous avez parle en anglaiscomme un indigene ct aussi parce que vOlre discours etait si interessant .:t siutile."Annual Study Tour 1972In view of the unseasonable nature of the weather we had until then, itwas hardly surprising that it took a little time for word to get through tothe appropriate quarters that" the Society of Irish Foresters is is holding iiSAnnual Study Tour," but get through it did; and by the afternoon ofTuesday, 13th June, we were getting the weather we have come to expector' these occasions.The tour leaders were Mr. ]. F. Ryan, Divisional Inspector, helped byMr. Eamonn Cunningham in the absence of the District Inspector Mr. W.Shine, who joined us on the second day. We were also accompanied duringthe first two days by Dr. Michael Conry, of the National Soil Survey, whokept us anthoritatively informed on s:lils matters.The first stop was in a rather windswept section of Ballydehob forest(Mf. J. Brennan, Forester-in-Charge, and Mr. D. O'Connor, AssistantForester), from which we moved to the Castlefreke property of Rosscarberyforest (Mr. T. Galvin, F.i.C.). Here, during a lengthy discussion on landuse, it was suggested that first class agricultural soils, such as the one at thespot where we were standing, should, whenever they became available, beplanted with hardwood species. There was also some discussion of the localand national implications of the largescale speculation in marginal landwhich has become a feature in parts of the s::lIlth of Ireland.Other points of interest were plantations on sand dunes, and impressivecreas of Pinus radiata about twenty years ago.Wednesday began with a visit to Gougane Barra forest (Mf. D.O'Driscoll, F.i.C., Mr. L. Kelly, A.F.) to v;ew the extensive amenitydevelopment in the Republic's first Forest Park, officially opened in 1966and now visited by about 70.000 people each year.'Glendav property of Ballyvourney forest (Mr. B. Loughry, F.i.C., Mr. 0Grant ,A.F.) was notable for its high yielding crops of Sitke spruce, while

Society Activities 73ill Macroom forest (Mr. M. Darcy, F.i.C., Mr. M. McElroy, A .F.) theinterest centred in young crops and on game management problems. InDunmanway forest (Mr. C Bunce, F .i.C., Mr. M. Barry, A.F.) we saw ahighly productive crop of Sitka spruce, 36 years old, at Aultagh propertywhich had been severely retarded ill its early years by frost damage andcompetition from common furze.Thursday was devoted to botanical and conservational aspects. Themorning was spent on Garnish . Island, the famous garden created out ofbarren rock and bog from 1910 onwards, and now in National ownership andadministered by the Commissicners of Public Works. In the afternoon wewent to Glengarriff forest (Mr. J. Vaughan, F.i.C., Mr. D Cusack, A.F.).There we were joined by Mr. Michael Neff of the Forest and WildlifeService Research Branch to discuss the conservation and regeneration ofthe native and rare species in this area which is uniquely endowedfloristically. One of the greatest problems is the control of Rhododendronponticum which obliterates practically every other p lant in its inexorablespread. Full participation in the discussion here was somewhat inhibited bya plague of midges (doubtless a rare native breed) to which some weremore susceptible than others, but on at least one occasion a spiriteddIscussion arose as to the hard cash value of the work now being conductedunder the general heading of conservation.The Annual Dinner of the Society was held on Thursday night at thetour headquarters in Bantry, where the speeches tended to be drowned bythe clatter from the nearby kitchens. "Viewing the dawn" was a popularfeature of the subsequent socialities.The following members took part in the Study Tour: Dr W. H. Jack,President, Dr. P. M. Joyce, Convener, Miss E. E . Furlong, Study TourCommittee, Mr. G. Beirne, Prof. T. Clear, Messrs. P. Clinch, W. F . Collins,J. Connelly, M. Cosgrave, Mrs. M. Cosgrave, Messrs. J. Cronin, ]. C.Crowley,' J. J. Crowley, S. Crowley, N. Cullinan, J. ]. Darcy. M. Darcy,J. Dillon, ]. M. Doyle, A. Duffy, Dr. 1. F. Durand, Messrs. D . Eastwood,.J. Fennessy, S. Glynn, O. Grant, P. J. Hanrahan, G. Harney, Dr. R. Hayes,Dr. J. J. Hennessy, Messrs. M. Hennessy. G. Hipwell, J. Horgan, C . Jeffers,F . Jennings, J. E. Johnston, N. Kavanagh, P. J. Keane, M. F. Kelly, H. Kerr,D. McCarthy, Dr. E. McCracken, Prof. L . McCracken, J. Mackin D.McGlynn, J. McSorley, D. Mangan, J. A . Mannion, F. Moran, P. ].Morrissey, F. Mulloy, C. Nyhan, T . O'Brien, N. O'Carroll. R. 0 Cinneide,J. O'Donovan, L. O'Flanagan, J. O'Mahony, T. J. O'Mahoney, P. O'Malley,B. O'Neill, Mrs. A. Tottenham, Capt. C. B. Tottenham, Messrs. G. JTottenham, R. Tottenham, M. Sweeney and J. White.N. O'CARROLL.

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cpmCLOIND,ALIKIN PAPER MILtSLIMITEDConsistent Paper MakersFrom the Irish Forest to the IrishHouseholderThe fo:estry supply the timber to the mill.The mill produces pulp from the timber.The pulp is used to manufacture Base paper.The Base paper is supplied to Ir'sh Wallpaper manufacturers,who supply the Irish householder with beautifully designedpatterns of wallpaper.A 100% national effort of which we are alljustly proud.cpm also manufacture a variety of Printing, Writing andPackagmg papers.

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COMM,ONWEALTHAGRJCUL,TUR.A,LB,U'R,EIAUXAutomation of C:A'8 ServicesThe Comonwealth Agricultural Bureaux are introducingcomputer techniques for the provision of specialist scientificinformation services for agricultural research workers. Thenew system will facilitate :(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)speedier journal production and earliernotice of papers.the inclusion of improved indexes ineach journal issue.The search of the whole CAB data baseto provide special outputs on selected topics,current awareness, personal and groupservices, annotated bibliographies. etc.the interchange of information with othermajor information services in this field.the supply of magnetic tapes.Some automated journal production will start in 1972 andfurther details will be announced in due course.Any enquiries should be addressed to :Systems Manager,Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux,Farnham House, Farnham Royal,SLOUGH SL2, 3BN, England.

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