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Much of the soil is light and gravelly, overlying granite. 
exposed places there is but a thin layer, but a fair depth occurs in 
sheltered places between rocks, 
ver the greater part of the forest there is a considerable under- 
growth of Juniperus communis, Genista anglica, Calluna vulgaris, 
Erica cinerea, E. Tetralix, Vaccinium Myrtillus, V. Vitis-cdaea, 
Empetrum nigrum, Lomaria Spicant, and various orchids, of which 
Orchis maculata and Habenaria odoratissima were most plentiful. 
Near the summit of Craig Daiyn, 1780 feet, Arctostaphylos Uva- 
ursé occurs among dwarf pines, junipers, and heat er, and about the 
ig points Listera cordata was found beneath the heather, 
om the summit of Craig Daiyn a glorious view of the forest 
and hills and valleys of the surrounding country is obtained, and on 
an exposed point a cairn has been erected, which contains a stone 
bearing the following inscription : ueen Victoria entered into 
possession of the Ballochbuie, Ba May, 1876, ‘The bonniest 
plaid in Scotland,’” The last sentence is said to have reference to 
a local tradition that Ballochbicie Forest was at one time sold by a 
McGregor to a Farquharson of Invercauld for a tartan plaid, 
Garmaddie Wood.—The trees in this wood number about 250 to 
the acre, and average about 15 cubic feet of timber each, Other 
Scots pine woods contain larger trees, and there are larch woods of 
good quality on the estate. With regard to larch, Mr. Michie is 
of the opinion that more satisfactory crops of timber can be raised 
from Tyrolese seed than from séed ripened in Scotland, Japanese 
larch is not grown, 
A plantation of Douglas fir planted in 1886 at an elevation of 
1020 to over 1100 feet has made good progress. The taller trees 
are 45 to 50 feet high. Im the vicinity of this wood a group of 
trees of Pinus Cembra planted 24 years ago ranged from 20 to 
25 feet in height, P. monticola growing near by being about 5 feet 
higher 
mas present all the timber cut is used for estate purposes, 
The gardens contain numerous well-developed conifers, which were 
planted about the year 1860, Some of the best are Pseudotsuga 
Douglasii, 70 feet high by 7 feet 4 inches in girth ; Abies Lowiana, 
45 to 50 feet high ; A. magnijica, 50 feet by 4 feet 5 inches 3 and 
A, grandis, 6() feet by 5 feet 9 inches, All the girths were taken 
at 5 feet above the ground, 
A number of good silver firs are to be seen at ‘aie med ; the 
best one girths 12 feet at 5 feet high, They are growing at an 
elevation of 800 to 900 feet, and natural regeneration takes place, 
The Invercauld woods and gardens belonging to Mr, Farquharson 
young larch, almost every tree having lost its leader ehrough the 
ravages of these birds, 
