Plantations and Home Nurseries Competition, 1914. 187 



This is a good wood, the best hardwood plantation 

 inspected by the Judges in this competition. It has been 

 carefully tended, and gives promise of yielding a valuable crop 

 of timber, and is another good instance of waste or neglected 

 land being turned to a profitable use. 



The other entry in this class was awarded second prize, 

 namely, " Smeathens Wood," belonging to Mr. W. F. Beddoes, 

 of Minton, Shropshire. Part of this plantation, on a strong 

 loamy soil, is composed of larch and oak, the other portion 

 being larch, oak and beech. The whole were set out at 5 ft. on 

 a steep bank at an altitude of about 750 ft., having a south-eaBt 

 aspect. The plants, which wei-e pitted, were 2-years-2-years, 

 and the cost of formation was 61. per acre. The ground had 

 carried a previous crop of oak, and was already fenced. None 

 of the hardwoods have been removed in thinnings, larch only 

 being taken out. The height of the trees in the larch and oak 

 section is : — Larch, 35 to 40 ft. ; oak, 16 ft. ; the former having 

 a girth of 18 in. and the latter 8 in., while the larch are of 

 equal dimensions in the other portion, which is one year 

 younger. The oaks are 2 ft. higher here, and the beech 

 measure 28 ft. by 12 in. in girth. 



This is an interesting plantation, inasmuch as the numbers 

 of oak and larch per acre will be about equal in both sections, 

 while the younger portion has the beech in addition, and it 

 was very noticeable here to what an extent the trees and soil 

 have benefited by the addition of the beech. The oak and 

 larch were distinctly better, being cleaner and better stems, 

 while the difference in the surface conditions were striking, 

 being all in favour of the addition of the beech. 



There are enough oaks to form a crop with the addition, 

 probably, of some of the best larches, and if the present careful 

 management is continued, this should prove a very satisfactory 

 wood. The land is capable of growing good oak, as was seen 

 by the trees growing in some older woods adjoining. 



Class VII. For Conifers on Estates with Less 

 THAN 300 Acres op Woodlands, the stage being up to the 

 time of the first thinning. 



There was only one entry and a bronze medal was awarded. 



This plantation, which extends to about 50 acres, is on the 

 estate of Mr. T. T. Moore, Old Hall, Dolau, Radnorshire, and 

 lies at an elevation running up to 1,500 ft., with an east and 

 north-east exposure. The trees, mainly lai'ch, with Scots pine 

 in the top and exposed margins, were notched in on hill land, 

 the spacing distance being 6 ft. by (i ft. The age of the plants 

 is not known, and the planting was done in the autumn of 

 1902 at a cost which is stated to have been 21. 8s. per acre. 



