376 EDITOR'S BOX. [March, 



lands which have a tendency to produce grass, and land that 'has 

 been long ])astured. 



In practice I ibund that when the grassy turf was pared off, the 

 roots of the jDlants were better protected, and in making the notch 

 the soil was made friable, and the plant had not to be put so deep ; 

 neither did the plant snffer so readily by being blown about, as when 

 notched in the grassy turf. Where tlie soil is ' of a thin, rocky, nnculti- 

 vatabie character,' there is generally very little grass, and conse- 

 quently no paring is required. 



I can hardly think that • Bannockburn 'is serious when he says that 

 notches will open with frost on account of the soil being rendered 

 'loose and friable,' — the very condition desired, and a condition 

 on which frost lias no effect in the way of cracking or opening. In 

 luct, frosts make friable soils more friable, and therefore less liable to 

 open with its action. On the other haml, to pare heathy soils would 

 be wrong, because heathy soils are generally of a fine, compact 

 character, and if the immediate thin covering of moss at the roots of 

 the beath was removed, the result would be disastrous: in that case 

 the notches would open and expose the roots of the plant, no matter 

 how well planted, and on this soil frost acts powerfully, as also very 

 diy weather. Burning narrow strips is the proper mode of working 

 such covert, but to burn grass lauds a few years before planting is too 

 ridiculous to notice. 



I also think Mr. Scott is quite right as to the way in which to*lay 

 off roads ; but, so far as I can understand, Mr. Scott does not say not to 

 ]daiit the road after it is formed: he only says to form the road 

 'during times wlien planting cannot be done,' and 1 take it that 

 when formed, vou can plant or not, as you please. All roads should 

 be marked off, levelled and drained, and bridged, or ' eyed,' where 

 necessary. It is quite impossible to form roads after the woods are 

 up, even at the [first thinning. The result would be followed by 

 disaster, and the line much more difncult to form. 



Mr. Scott does not mean to make the road right off, at a cost of 

 £100 or £200 per mile ; he simply says formed. Nothing could be 

 plainer than that ; and what Mr. Scott proposes would not cost over 

 ;£20 per mile under ordinary circumstances. In my opinion it would 

 take nearly that sum to make pits and transplant all the jjlants that 

 would grow on a mile of road 15 feet wide, and the road would still 

 be to form, so that ' Loanleah ' is a little shortsighted. 



I think, however, that it is quite unfair to criticise the articles 

 * Forestry for the Month,' as it is quite impossible to give more than 

 the text of the subject. Such criticism must injure 'Forestry' 

 unless it is done by practical and tried men, giving their name and 

 address. D. F. JMackenzie. 



Morton Hall, Edliihurjh. 



