Large Trees on Murthly Estate. 



By D. F. McKENZIE, Forester, Murthly Castle, Perthshire. 



There is nothing remarkable in the history of the trees in the 

 following list so far as the writer is aware of, except that a few 

 of them have seen at least four centuries come and go, and are 

 still healthy and vigorous trees. Many of them have lost limbs 

 of great size by storms. One great beech had a limb torn off about 

 a year ago which weighed nearly five tons, and except that the 

 tree appears somewhat one-sided, the limb is scarce missed. Another 

 of the same species, which has long been threatened with dissolution, 

 is strongly cramped with iron straps and stays to keep the limbs 

 together. 



Excepting the Scots firs, the whole are park trees, and all bear 

 the marks of neolect in both the earlier and later stacres of their 



O O 



growth. 



The whole are growing on a rather light sandy soil, resting on 

 a deep gravelly subsoil, at an elevation of 180 feet above sea level 

 according to the Ordnance map, and freely exposed on all sides. The 

 average height of the hardwood kinds will be 60 feet, excepting the 

 limes, many of which are 100 feet in height and at least 200 years 

 old. The only remarkable tree in appearance is the larch, whose 

 girth is 9 feet 8 inches, with a bole 15 feet in length; the entire 

 height of the tree is 35 feet. The branches are all drooping, and 

 spread 70 feet. The tree is almost flat on the top, slightly convex, 

 giving to the tree at a distance, when in full leaf, the appearance of 

 a huge green mushroom. This tree is the only remaining one of 

 a long line cut down some years ago, and was thought to be not 

 worth remaining along with the others. Some of the stools of 

 those cut down measure 4^- feet across. The trees were all sound 

 and the quality of the timber appears to have been excellent. 



The silver firs are all handsome specimens, from 70 to 90 feet 

 in height, and are of various ages, the largest being about 100 years 

 old, and all growing vigorously. 



The measurements are all taken at 5 feet from the ground, and 

 when two of the same size were met with only the best specimen 

 was measured. They are in circumference as follows : — 



Eight beech trees, 16 ft. 6 in., 15 ft. 8 in., 15 ft. 3 in., 14 ft., 13 ft. 

 6 in., 13 ft. 5 in., 10 ft. 10 in., and 10 ft. 3 in. 



