| Abstract: | The system has been adopted at Dartington with Japanese larch(Larix leptolepis), and it has been suggested that it worksthere because Japanese larch grows fast. It is argued in thispaper, however, that the system is best adapted to rather slowlygrowing trees, and the reason for its use with Japanese larchis that this species is characterized by a rapid height growthbut a small current annual increment, so that, unless the treesare isolated, they make extremely narrow annual rings. WithDouglas fir (Pseudotsuga taxifolia) and Sitka spruce (Piceasitcbensis) the annual rings might become too broad if thistreatment were applied, except at a rather advanced age. Nevertheless,the system has certain other advantages and, to attain these,it may be useful to adopt it more extensively, even if the annualrings become broader than we like. |
