REPORT ON THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF PLANTATIONS. 245 



EEPOET ON THE GENEKAL MANAGEMENT OF PLANTATIONS. 



By C. Y. Michie, Forester, Cullen House, Cullen. 



[Premium — Five Sovereigns."} 



The following Eeport applies to four plantations in Scotland 

 and one in England : — 



No. 1 is a mixed plantation, situated in the south of the county 

 of Eoxburgh, thirty-two to thirty-six years planted. It was 

 originally enclosed with a thorn hedge, which having decayed in 

 parts, has been replaced in these parts with post and rail pailing. 

 The form of the plantation is an irregular oblong, the greater por- 

 tion extending from north to south, and is about 850 yards long, by 

 a mean width of about 60 yards, comprising in all about 11 acres. 

 It was formed with the object of clothing and beautifying the 

 country, which it does, and with the further object of yielding a 

 profitable crop of timber, which, however, has not yet been effected. 



The ground, previous to being planted, was used as a grazing 

 for cows, and was much esteemed for that purpose. In conse- 

 quence of its precipitous nature, it was considered impracticable 

 to cultivate it, some parts being so steep as to render it unsafe 

 even for the grazing of cattle. The ground throughout is undu- 

 lating, irregular, and ragged, and covered with various descrip- 

 tions of grasses, mostly indicating superfluous water in the soil. 

 The soil, like the surface of the ground, is variable, but in general 

 may be termed tenacious clay, resting upon sandstone rock of 

 various degrees of hardness; some parts are a light sandy loam, a 

 few spots peat soil, and others a stiff tilly clay. 



The plantation is situated at an altitude of between 250 and 

 350 feet above the level of the sea, and is sheltered, with the 

 exception of the highest ridge, from the north and west winds by 

 higher grounds, so essential to the growth of all trees, particularly 

 larch and spruce. 



The trees of which the plantation is composed are embraced 

 in the following list : — 



Oak to constitute the principal ultimate crop. 



Ash to be thinned out from amongst the oaks as the last thinnings. 



Elm do. do. do. do. 



Sweet chestnut do. do. do. 



Larch to be thinned out as first profitable thinnings, after 

 having acted towards the hardwoods as nurses. 



Scots pines to be thinned out as secondary thinnings, after 

 acting to the hardwoods as nurses. 



Spruce, a few to remain permanently to impart variety to the 

 plantation, and act as nurses to the hardwoods, the others to be 

 thinned out for profit. 



The preceding list comprises seven different sorts of trees, in 



R 



