372 REPORT ON LAECH FORESTS. 



in the county of Morayshire. Part of the planting Was per- 

 formed in November, and part in February and March the 

 following spring. The south side of the hill and north side were 

 planted alternately, as the weather allowed. The same stock of 

 plants were planted throughout, and the same persons performed 

 the work of planting. The altitude on both sides of the hill 

 thus planted was the same — between 800 and 1200 feet. The 

 soil was pretty nearly of equal quality, save that upon the north 

 side, which was rather deeper and richer, and of a light, mossy, 

 and sandy loam, varying in depth from two inches to two feet, 

 and resting upon granite rock. On the north side of the hill, 

 owing to the extra depth of soil, the herbage, consisting prin- 

 cipally of heath and cranberry, was more rank than upon the 

 opposite side ; but as the herbage was cut in the act of planting, 

 no injurious results could arise from that circumstance. 



On the south side of the hill scarcely one per cent, of the plants 

 died ; whereas upon the north side, on examining the plantation 

 four months subsequent to planting, fully 75 per cent, of the 

 plants were found to have perished. The writer at the time being 

 quite at a loss to account for the circumstance, invited several 

 intelligent men to inspect the plantation, in order to explain the 

 cause of failure. Some suggested one cause, and some another, 

 but all opinions were conflicting and unsatisfactory. The cause 

 of failure suggested itself in the following manner : — Two small 

 but separate enclosures were planted with the same sample of 

 plants as those that perished, and about the same time — the one 

 exposed to the south, the other inclining to the north. Those 

 plants in the southern exposure all succeeded well, while those 

 on the north almost entirely failed. Since the same sample of 

 plants succeeded when exposed to the south, and failed when 

 exposed to the north, the soil, manner of planting, &c, in both 

 cases being alike, led to the conclusion that the low temperature 

 of the soil was the cause of failure. The early part of the season, 

 after planting, being cold and wet, probably contributed in pro- 

 ducing the above effects. 



The other example was as follows : — A nurseryman in Aber- 

 deen, in the autumn of 1866, planted out into the usual lines in 

 his nursery grounds several thousands of two-year old seedling 

 larch, from beds in his own nursery ; but owing to unfavourable 

 weather, and other work requiring to be done, further planting 

 out was postponed till the month of March 1867. The weather 

 during several weeks after the planting was finished continued 

 cold and wet, hence a low temperature of the soil was produced. 

 Of those planted in autumn scarcely 1 per cent, died : of those 

 planted in March fully three-fourths perished. On consulting 

 with the nurseryman, who is a man of scientific knowledge, he 

 stated that he considered the failure was due either to what is 



