ON PLANTATIONS ON GLENtJLOY ESTATE, INVERNESS-SHI UK. 1 95 



All the jAiintiitions have hceu enclosed with wire fencing' — 

 mostly having six wires (of No. (i l^est bright wire) with larch 

 posts and iron angular droppers between. In some cases a larch 

 post and iron dropper were placed alternately; in others, two 

 iron droppers were placed between every larch post. The strain- 

 ing j)()sts are of iron. 



The best and cheapest fence is thought to be that with iron 

 strainers — with larch posts at every 6 yards, and two angular iron 

 droppers between — thus leaving 6 feet between each post or 

 dro])])er. The cost (at present prices of iron and lal)Our) is 8d. 

 per yard, which is only half the cost of a fence of iron alone, and 

 really less costly to keep in repair, although that is not the 

 common opinion ; about 2 miles have been erected entirely of 

 iron, liaving standards at every oO feet, and four droppers l)etween, 

 witli steel wire — all galvanised. This is a neat fence, and suit- 

 able in some situations, but nearly double the cost of that already 

 mentioned. The cost was Is. 2d. per yard. No draining was 

 required, as the whole land is perfectly dry. 



All these plantations are growing well and rapidly. Some of 

 those planted three years since are already visiljle from Loch 

 Locliy, half a mile distant. The Scots fir has suffered from black 

 game. It seems strange that in none of the works on forestry 

 that have been published has any reference been made to the 

 injury done to young Scots fir by black game picking out the 

 buds. Every effort will be made for a few years to destroy 

 black game, until the plants have grown sufficiently to be out 

 of their reach. Wlierever young plantations are laid down, 

 rabbits, hares, and black game should, as nearly as possible, be 

 exterminated. 



The reporter is persuaded that from every pomt of view there 

 is no kind of improvement on an estate at all to be comi)ared 

 with planting. It is at the same time the most beautifying, 

 most beneficial, and most profitable. 



It is constantly affirmed, by experienced foresters and planters, 

 that all land worth not more than 10s. per acre of rent, should 

 be planted, as being the best investment for money. If this is 

 so, how much more profitable must it be to plant land that is not 

 worth more than Is. per acre for grazing, of which there are 

 hundreds of thousands of acres throughout the Highlands, admir- 

 ably suited for the growth of timber. Very frequently land not 

 worth Is. per acre for grazing, is more suitable for planting than 

 land worth 10s. 



It is admitted by everybody conversant with the subject, that 

 land under plantations yields not less than £1 sterling of rent 

 from the date of planting onwards for sixty years. In the case 

 of the plantations now reported upon, the lands yielded 2s. 8^-d. 

 per acre average for grazing, and if they now yield 20s., besides 



