110 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
according to any lack of demand or a desire not to cut, they stand 
at an average distance apart of from 12 to 16 feet, and range 
from 12 to 20 inches diameter at the butt end. 
“The quality of timber is excellent, being slowly and uniformly 
grown. ‘The average tree of 16 inches diameter at the base will 
be found to measure 10 inches diameter at 40 to 50 feet up, and 
will, I estimate, contain by quarter-girth measurement 31 cubic 
feet. Allowing an average distance apart of 14 feet, the result 
is 222 trees and 6882 cubic feet of timber per acre. It is not 
pretended that these figures are strictly accurate, but they are as 
nearly so as I can calculate. Every part of the tree is made use 
of; even the smallest branches are gathered up, bound into 
sheaves, and stacked to dry for fuel, large ricks of which may be 
seen in the neighbouring villages. When driving through a 
distant part ef the forest one day, two women were seen engaged 
loading sheaves of brushwood on a rather primitive-looking four- 
wheeled waggon drawn by two cows, which, my companion 
informed me, would be milked when they got home with their 
load, probably half a score of miles away. 
Saw-mills are found on every stream, containing frame as well 
as circular saws and other wood-working machinery. The motive- 
power is generally obtained from the water of the rivulet, but 
that when insuflicient is supplemented by steam. Cattle are 
largely used in the haulage of both the rough trunks from the 
forest and the manufactured timber from the mills. 
Having dealt with the clearing of the old wood, we now 
proceed to refer to the method in common practice for re-afforest- 
ing the cleared ground. The old roots or stools are generally 
grubbed out, and utilised, like the brushwood, for fuel, and the 
ground is thus left perfectly clean, and almost free of vegetation 
—which, however, has begun to cover the surface by the time 
planting is commenced, two years after felling. Meantime, cones 
have been collected from the old forest during winter, the seeds 
extracted either by spreading in the sun’s rays or in a kiln con- 
structed for the purpose, and gentle thrashing. The nursery part 
of the work is carried out on the spot. Small square patches 
are selected on the cleared ground for that purpose at regular 
intervals, and say thirty yards on the side. They are 
thoroughly enclosed by high close fences ; the soil within is care- 
fully tilled, and the seeds sown about April in little tracks 
2 inches broad and 9 inches apart. The seedlings, when two 
