| Abstract
| - The reasons for the scarcity of tall straight oaks (Quercus robur L. and Q. petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl.) in Great Britain are discussed in this paper. It is argued that the historical practice of growing timber at very wide spacings in coppice-with-standards systems rather than high forest, coupled with generations of selection for crookedness rather than straightness, has resulted in a dearth of tall, well-formed trees. Evidence is presented that oak produced in conditions of quite severe competition will grow much taller than widely spaced trees. It is concluded that the current practice of planting at densities of 1100 trees per hectare is unlikely to lead to the government's stated objective of encouraging an 'increase [in] the quality and value of timber produced by broadleaved woodlands as a whole' (Forestry Commission, 1985). The economic and other implications of considerably closer spacing are discussed.
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