Corsican Pine (Pinus nigra var. maritima (Ait.) Melville) in Southern Britain

Measurements of fifty crop and site factors in thirty planted Corsican pine stands in south and east England were subjected to multivariate analysis by the method of principal components. The correlations between components describing crop and site suggest that low winter minimum temperatures affect growth of Corsican pine more than warmth in the growing season. A component grouping soil total phosphate levels and soil pH also appears to be causally related to growth potential whereas other components describe variables considered to result from the effects of a tree crop. The site water balance, as reflected by growing season rainfall, potential evaporation, and water storage in the soil is apparently unrelated to growth differences.