694 TREES OF MONMOUTHSHIRE. [Mai:. 



foliage, and the earth seems to be at rest, the Scotch pine gives 

 tone and beauty to the landscape with its bright foliage and the 

 lustrous effect of its gold-red bark, as glimpses of it are caught by the 

 eye, in strilcing contrast to the more sombre tints of the surround- 

 ing deciduous trees. There has never been enougli of notice taken 

 in this county of the Scotch pine. It cannot be from its not flourish- 

 ing in our soil. There are now standing at Llangibby, Skiberwen, 

 and Beitholey in this county, some noble specimens of the Scotch 

 pine. Some of these trees are from 70 to 100 feet in height, with a 

 circumference of 15 to 20 feet. I measured two very fine speci- 

 mens last spring. They were growing in a position not too exposed, 

 and in a loamy, sandy clay on graveL Their dimensions were as 

 follows : — No. 1 measured, after having its top cut into pit-wood, 

 49 feet in height, with a circumference of 8 feet 6 inches. No. 2 

 measured 30 feet in height, with a circumference of 7 feet 9 inches, 

 5 feet from the ground. Both of these trees had very good heads of 

 foliage. Some of the branches measured 3 to 5 feet in circumference. 

 These trees after being felled fetched 9^d. per cubic foot delivered 

 at Newport station. This pine will grow in almost every kind of 

 soil we have in this county — the drier the better, Erom my observa- 

 tions, it grows best in a good dry sandy loam. Heavy clay seems 

 to be adverse to the nature of this tree ; so does low-lying situations. 

 The few trees that are to be found on our moors are very small and 

 sickly-looking ; but on elevated positions v/ith dry soils tliey grow 

 very rapidly, and soon reach valuable dimensions. 



Mixed plantations of Scotch pine and larch in some places have 

 not succeeded, the larch liaving sickened and died, while the Scotch 

 pine continues to do well. The Scotch pine is a hardy, quick-grow- 

 ing tree, and I hope that our authorities and landowners will soon 

 see that the barren hills of Monmouthshire and Wales could, instead 

 of being turned to account in starving the few miserable-looking 

 sheep and ponies which run over them, be planted with Scotch pine 

 and larch, which would soon yield ample returns on capital so 

 invested. How long shall we have to wait before we see this done ? 



I do hope that every one interested in the beautifying of this 

 county and every other part of Wales, will do their utmost to bring 

 about the planting of all barren hillsides ; then, instead of barren 

 hillsides, we should have them clothed with profitable timber, which 

 would improve the climate, beautify the landscape, increase the 

 wealth of the landlords, and give employment to many of the 

 unemployed ; and instead of importing thousands of tons of French 

 and other pit-wood into Newport, Cardiff, and Swansea, as we do 

 now, we should be able to meet the demand with Welsh-grown 

 timber. 



