10 
the immediate vicinity of collieries, coke ovens, steel works and live 
spoil heaps it would be difficult to imagine worse conditions, whilst 
half-a-mile away, circumstances are little better. Even at a 
distance of from one to two miles from some of these places, the 
enervating effects are noticeable, especially in connection with ol 
trees, and scores of dead and dying trees are to be seen. In one 
case a small plantation was pointed out where quite one-third of the 
trees had died within the last 7 years. Young trees also suffer as 
may be noticed by enfeebled growth and weak buds. Horse 
chestnut and beech appear to be particularly hardly hit whilst 
conifers are impossible. The young trees which appear to stand 
the greatest chance are sycamore, plane, ash, elm, and sweet 
chestnut. 
Rasy CastTite Estate.—Nov. 25. 
Raby Castle, the Durham residence of Lord Barnard, is situated 
in the village of Staindrop, 2} miles distant from Winston Station, 
which is reached from Darlington. Between Winston and Staindrop 
the attention is drawn to the use made of the common thorn as a 
circumference of between 3 and 4 feet. On arrival at the estate 
office, Lord Barnard’s agent, Mr. Fife, placed me under the 
guidance of the head forester Mr. Bewick, and I was shown as 
much of the home woods as the time at my disposal would allow. 
The woods and plantations extend over an area of about 2,200 acres 
and are principally situated on land of fairly good quality. .They 
are nowhere more than a few hundred feet above sea level but in 
another part of the county, about Teesdale, Lord Barnard has 
established plantations at an altitude of between 1,000 and 1,200 feet 
which are said to be giving satisfactory results. 
_Lord Barnard is keenly interested in forestry and pays much 
direct attention to the work. Everything is conducted on strictly 
business principles, and strict accounts are kept of expenditure and 
income. 
The trees most in evidence in old and young woods are larch, 
oak, beech, Scots pine (used in young woods extensively as a nurse) 
and birch. Ash, which is so frequently used in the neighbourhood 
in hedge-rows, is scarce in the woods. In one place poplar has been 
grown with advantage, whilst some good sweet vhestnuts were noted 
in the park. 
The older woods have been over-thinned at some period, but 
contain a lot of very good timber. A very nice oak plantation was 
noted in which the trees were from 50 to 70 feet high with a girth 
of from 50 to 70 inches. Good plantations were also noticed of 
spruce, beech, birch and a mixture of oak, larch, beech and other 
trees. A rotation system of felling and planting has been adopted 
within the last few years and from 120,000 to 130,000 young trees 
are planted annually. About half of these are drawn from the 
estate nursery aud the remainder are purchased. Plantations from 
one year old to fifteen were noted and, taken all through, growth 
was satisfactory. As a rule little growth is apparent sae the 
