MARITIME SITUATIONS. 73 



and none so good as the elm and ash, where the latter have had 

 room. The wych elm rather small towards the outside, but some 

 of them as large as the best ash towards the interior. The syca- 

 mores are generally small but of a healthy appearance ; beech 

 about the same size as the sycamore, and retain their leaves 

 longer in a green state, the latter in a few cases decaying towards 

 the extreme points of their leaders in the north or sea side. The 

 average height of the trees throughout the x^lantation range from 

 30 to"35 feet, with girths at 6 feet from the ground varying from 

 3 to 8 inches (quarter girth), except the poplars, which are a 

 few feet higher and about 3 inches girth on the exposed sides, 

 and from 13 to 14 inches (qr. girth) on the sheltered side. 



The general appearance of the foliage of the trees on the out- 

 ward exposed sides shows the effects of the cutting winds by 

 the brownness of the leaves. From the want of underwood as 

 shelter in this plantation, it is proposed to have it cut down and 

 planted with underwood and forest trees, with the view of raising 

 a young plantation from the assistance of the shoots from the 

 stools after the trees are cut down. This course is conmiendable 

 from the existing trees being rather drawn up from the want of 

 thinning, and as in their exposed position thinning now would be 

 apt to check rather than increase tlieir growth without providing 

 the necessary shelter. 



With the view of showing the effects of severe prevailing 

 winds on various varieties of trees, it may not be out of place to 

 refer to several growing singly in hedgerows and in the margins 

 of plantations, and other places, which the writer has an oppor- 

 tunity of observing daily in the course of following his occupation. 

 Oak, Common, although planted in favourable soils, and in 

 moderately exposed situations, is far from being suited for situa- 

 tions exposed to prevailing winds. Many are to be seen both 

 on the outside of plantations and in hedgerows, although attain- 

 ing moderate size, much cut by the winds, and all one-sided, and 

 leaning and growing towards the east, or as it were growing away 

 from the blast, having a very stunted appearance, and in many 

 cases covered with galls, and the leaves having a dry and curled 

 unhealthy appearance. 



The Turkcii Oak grows more quickly, and does not seem to 

 suffer from the wind to nearly the extent of the common oak, 

 and where they are growing side by side, the Turkey oak is 

 growing healthy and vigorous in exposed places, where the 

 common variety has a very scrubby and unhealthy appearance. 



Scarlet Oak does not stand the wind in this quarter, and in 

 moderately exposed situations is far from doing well. 



Ash. — This tree, when growing in hedgerows, where the soil 

 has been well prepared, attains moderate size, but on the margins 

 of plantations it makes less progress, and from its not beiug a 



