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32humus may acctlerate podsolisation on poorly buffered soils. Groups ofMountain Ash (Sorb us Aucuparia) and Birch (Betula alba) which producea mild humus where they could be introduced would be beneficialin counteracting this tendency.A very notable feature of P.C. at Kilworth and one which I suggestis worthy of attention is its abiiity to stimulate retarded crops of otherspecies growing either in mixture with or in close proximity to it. Onseveral sites which originally carried retarded crops of CPjSP sufferingbadly from exposure and saw-fly attach-in fact they were barely livingtheS.P. when the P.e. got above it stirred to new life and in a few yearsbegan to show a marked difference in vigour and health, and, what is stillmore amazing proceeded to keep pace with the P.C. in height growth.There are scattered S.P. stems- the relics of the original CPjSP planting-in several of the P.e. stands in Kilworth. They grew from 4' - 6' orthereabouts in the first 8 years but are now keeping pace with the P.C.their total height being 25 ft., an increase of 19 ft. to 21 ft. in 17years !- a truly amazing performance for S.P. on those poor sites. Andsince it benefits Scots Pine in check it might be worthwhile to experimentwith it a3 a stimulator in retarded. crops of S.S., N.S., and D.F.A Scots-contorta mixture, however, requires attention very early inlife to give the Scots more crown room and very early thinning mustbe resorted to to prevent spindling of the Scots Pine. To overcome thisdisadvantage strip planting might be tried out. That the mixture hasmany advantages cannot be gainsaid; most important it increases theheight increment in the Scots Pine and having done this it should providean intermediate yield of income from thinnings at a very early stagethereby reducing the carrying costs on a crop- Scots Pine-which at bestis barely economic on quite a number of sites.Pinus contorta can be gr~:fn successfully in mixture with Sitka Spruceon exposed molinia sites. Both of them stand exposure well and it willbe interesting to see how these two exotics react sylviculturally in mixture.Its ability to stand exposure should make it an ideal windbreak forthe more valuable species like, S.P., S.S. and N.S. and its ability to subduerank heather and furze quickly might be utilised to introduce otherspecies in groups after opening it up. In frost hollows on tree-less sitesit might be used as a nurse to be removed after the crop it protects hasgrown above the frost level and on the borders of light canopied cropsit could be used to subdue rank growths quickly and thus reduce the firerisk. Lastly it might be considered from the point of view of its abilityto regenerate itself naturally, especially if some sort of soil preparationwere resorted to in narrow blanks between older stands.Hitherto Pinus contorta was regarded as the poor relation of all ourforest trees- a mere peg or two higher in the social scale than MountainPine. Without it, however, much of the land, now considered suitablefor re-afforestation, would be regarded as a liability to the ForestryDivision in particular and to the nation as a whole. But it has proveditself to be a volume producer of no mean ability on poor soils and itssylvicultural value is further enhanced by its other possibilities. All that
33remains then to put it in general favour is to establish that its timber iscapable of being used for purposes similar to those for which S.P. andthe Spruces are now in general use.I have used light P.e. poles for bridging a small stream over whicha loaded tractor-trailer was passing several times each day during roadrepairs. They bent considerably under an estimated 6 ton load but theydid not break, and they stood up to weeks of crossing and re-crossingof heavy loads. I have also used about 20 P.e. fencing stakes for restakingduring fence repairs but as they are only a year or so in theground I cannot say what their life expectancy will be.Lastly I had a short log of P.C. var. Murrayana, sub-erect branchingtype, hewn and air-dried and took it to a local building contractor whoconsidered it on a par with, jf not superior to some of the imported whitedeal he was using, Which, however, I must admit, was of a poor qualitysawn from logs of small diameter."Pinus contorta" according to the Cameron report "willundoubtedly produce important pit-prop availabilities and a large volumeof round-wood suitable for sulphate pulp and fibre-board manufacture,but there is some doubt that it can be expected to make an importantcontribution to the commercial saw-timber needs of the country." Onthe other hand Edlin says "that it is not durable but is suitable forgeneral carpentry and constructional purposes" and Buttrick mentionsthat it is used in the central American States as railway sleepers.Speaking at a recent meeting of the Society Mr. Mangan said theElectricity Supply Board had made a trial of P.C. for transmission polesand found that its absorption of creosote was so much more than thatof the commoner species as to make the treated pole almost as dear tothem. An examination of the end grain of stumps at Kilworth showsthe timber to be either open or close grained according to situationand growing space and the timber itself to be very resinous. In largedimensions, and at Kilworth there are several trees girthing 36" O.B. itshould be useful at least as wall plates, collars, ridge boards, etc.Based on measurements taken in 1/10 acre plots selected more or lessat random from areas unthinned, after first thinning and after secondthinning the following particulars should be of general interest. Compartment26 got its second thinning 1952; largest stem is 50' x lOr'B.H.Q.G.O.B.No. of polesStocking Height of Average removed asCompartment. Age. per acre dominants. RH.Q.G.O.B. thinnings.50 17 2,320 25' · 3!"49 17 2,030 28' 31."4 59049 17 1,960 28' 3.J. 1I4 41026 22 510 45' 6" 210REFERENCES:1. A Manual of Coniferae (Jas. Veitch & Sons, 1881).2. British Woodland Trees. H. L. Edlin.3. Report on Forestry Mission to Ireland. D. Roy Cameron.4. Forest Economics and Finance. Buttrick.
Page 1: IRISH FORESTR YVol. IX. No. 1 SUMME
Page 4 and 5: SOCIETY OF IRISH FORESTERSPresident
Page 6 and 7: 4Need I dwell on the complexities i
Page 8 and 9: 6Division. The final report is form
Page 10 and 11: 8The picture I have painted of Dari
Page 12 and 13: 10I am sure you have all been menta
Page 14 and 15: 12resistance to the invaders became
Page 16 and 17: 14RED DEER HEAD.BEZ TINE12 POINTS.I
Page 18 and 19: 16In Wicklow the strain is not nati
Page 20 and 21: 182nd YEAR3rd YEAR4th YEAR5th YEAR6
Page 22 and 23: 20JAPANESE DEER.ANTLERS.FRONT VIEWS
Page 24 and 25: 22This little animal is a lover of
Page 26 and 27: 24neck reaching to the leaves in th
Page 28 and 29: 26principally on measures of contro
Page 30 and 31: PINUS CONTORTA as a Forest Tree In
Page 32 and 33: 30any blanks resulting from frost t
Page 36 and 37: TENTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGTHE Ten
Page 38 and 39: 36with satisfaction that the rate o
Page 40 and 41: 38The vote of thanks to the speaker
Page 42 and 43: COVER PHOTOGRAPHOur cover photograp
Page 44 and 45: .:-................................
Page 46 and 47: IRISH FORESTRY is fully served by:-
Page 48 and 49: Felling and Cross-CuttingTREESCAN B
Page 51 and 52: Benjamin Reid & fjO.20 HADDEN STREE

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