MAEITIME SITUATIONS. 71 



are one-sided, with their foliage on the exposed side quite red, 

 while on the sheltered side of the same tree the foliage is nearly 

 of its natural green. In the sheltered part or east side of the 

 plantation, the spruce are making rapid progress, and appear to 

 be in a very healthy state, having in many cases much overgrown 

 hoth the larch and the Scots fir. The Scots fir, although not 

 appearing to be the true variety, are all growing well, and within 

 the last few years have made rapid progress. Those on the 

 extreme margin of the west side are more one-sided, and have 

 fewer branches than the others, but they show no signs of suc- 

 cumbing to the blast, giving evident proof of the endurance of 

 the Scots fir over the larch. 



The oaks are all growing moderately well where the soil is 

 suitable for them, and those near the exposed margin have, in 

 many cases, made considerable progress, although they are more 

 stunted in appearance than their better-sheltered neighbours. 



The wych elms are more numerous on the margin than the 

 oaks, and have apparently been considered very hardy, and 

 therefore planted on the exposed side, as shelter for the others. 

 They have all a healthy appearance, and stand the winds better 

 than any of the others. They have never been in any way 

 pruned, and have therefore branches to near the ground. Indeed, 

 it would not be advisable to prune them, but to leave as many 

 branches on them as it is possible to obtain, seeing that the prin- 

 cipal advantage to be derived from them is shelter for the rest of 

 the plantation. The larger the quantity of small branches the 

 better, so long as they don't appear to yield to the breezes. 



Adjoining this plantation, along the margin of a garden, with- 

 out any artificial shelter, a few Austrian pines and English yews 

 are planted at distances apart of about nine feet, and in a row. 

 The Austrian pines are about twelve years old, and were trans- 

 planted to their present situation from an open exposure in the 

 year 1871, and the yews were removed in 1869. Neither the 

 pines nor the yews have made great growth in their new position, 

 but both appear to be in a very healthy state. The pines are 

 growing steadily though slowly, with the branches on the exposed 

 side stretching out against the wind, as well as on the sheltered 

 side, and never showing any signs of the gale cutting their foliage. 

 A few damson plum-trees in the same garden are gowing well in 

 the face of the wind, but although showing plenty of bloom they 

 seldom produce much fruit. 



The next plantation to be noticed contains about four acres, 

 and is situated about a mile from the sea, and is close upon its 

 level on level ground, with an open exposure all round. The 

 surrounding (ground, and that betwixt and the sea, is a level 

 strong clay soil or loam, or what may be termed in Scotland 

 " carse soil." In the neighbourhood it is known by the name 



