386 REPORT ON LARCH FORESTS. 



ISTo. 3 is a series of larch plantations in " the laigh o' Moray," 

 comprising about 300 acres, planted between 1816 and 1826. 

 The cost of enclosing with turf dykes, plants, planting, &c, 

 was between 40s. and 50s. per acre, as near as can be ascer- 

 tained. 



The plants used were generally small, — two year seedlings, — 

 and planted at distances varying from 3 feet to 5 feet apart in 

 the common way of slit planting. 



Early thinning was little attended to, except in conspicuous 

 places, till the trees were too far advanced to benefit by it. At 

 twenty years, when thinning was performed, the trees had become 

 tall and slender, with few branches, and could never again, by 

 subsequent treatment, be restored to the state of vigorous growth 

 and value they would have attained if in due time properly 

 thinned. 



This plantation is inland from the Mory Firth about 10 miles, 

 and is situated upon the banks of the Eiver Findhorn. The sur- 

 face of the ground is very irregular, being what is termed hill 

 and vale. Both the active and subsoil vary greatly in quality. 

 The active soil is a sandy loam or gravelly loam, parts also clay 

 and parts gravel. 



A very common but mal-practice of thinning had been followed 

 upon this plantation, viz., continuing to cut out trees subsequent 

 to the plantation arriving at an age when thinning could be of 

 no further benefit to the standing crop. Thinning, after the larches 

 were reduced to from 12 feet to 13 feet apart, while it reduced the 

 number of trees per acre, failed in producing any equivalent 

 advantage by way of promoting extra growth in those trees left 

 to constitute the future crop. 



The existing crop consists of trees of various sizes, containing 

 from 5 to 50 cubic feet each. The average content is about 10 

 cubic feet, and the worth about 10s. per tree. The number of 

 trees per acre varies from 150 to 200, and the value in most 

 cases is in inverse proportion to the number of trees per acre. 

 One part, for example, contains 200 trees per acre, at an average 

 value of 8s. = L.80. Another part contains 160 trees per acre, at 

 10s. per tree =L. 80. Another portion contains 150 trees per 

 acre, worth lis. per tree = L.82, 10s. Small patches, with only 

 120 trees per acre, are worth 14s. each=L.91 per acre. 



In this plantation the soil varies considerably throughout, and 

 no better or truer index need be sought for to point out the 

 quality than the larch growing upon it. Upon the dry, loose, 

 stony, and poor soil, the trees are most healthy and of largest 

 size. Upon stiff, wet clays they have all died. Upon hard 

 ferruginous gravel their growth is slow, and in many cases at an 

 end. Upon moor-pan the remains of small trees are to be seen, 

 pointing to premature deaths. " Deceptive soils " also occur, 



