46 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the increase of the remainder may be held in reserve as a factor of 

 safety. 



A Table of Annual Fellings has been drawn up for the older 

 woods, and will be found in Appendix C. In its preparation the 

 following aims have been kept in view: — (1) To avoid the re- 

 stocking at one time of large continuous areas, such being always 

 unfavourable to young crops; a maximum limit of 15 acres has 

 been fixed. (2) To allow an interval of time, not less than four 

 years, to elapse between the restocking of adjacent areas; this being 

 done in order to reduce the danger from insects, such as pine 

 weevils, which habitually attack very young crops. (3) To give 

 an approximately constant annual out-turn of produce, with a 

 mixture of comparatively good and of inferior qualities ; and at the 

 same time to avoid considerable variations in the extent of the areas 

 to be annually restocked after felling. (4) To avoid the necessity 

 for carrying on the felling work of any year at two or more points 

 separated by very inconvenient distances. 



It will be readily understood that when dealing with irregular 

 crops such as these, it was not found possible to fulfil all of the 

 above conditions ; and where interests were found to be conflicting, 

 preference has been given to the principle of limited continuous 

 areas, to a four years' interval between adjacent plantings, and to 

 an approximately equal annual out-turn. The arrangement actually 

 made was rendered possible only by establishing two cutting- 

 series in Meatm Chnoc and in Contullich Wood (Scots fir portion), 

 and four such series in Cnoc Duchaire. In the working of these 

 cutting-series, great care must be taken to avoid risk of damage by 

 storms. The lines of severance should be selected at once, and 

 should, where possible, be laid where the cover, in the desired direc- 

 tion, is already thin ; the crowns of a belt of trees at this place 

 should then be lopped so as to reduce their liability to be blown 

 down when deprived of the protection of the crop now standing to 

 windward of them. These belts may be at once under-planted with 

 Douglas fir or some other species which will grow rapidly and will 

 soon afford some shelter against wind. 



In cases where the entire wood is not felled in a single year, 

 the felling-area should, when possible, consist of a narrow strip, cut 

 on the side opposed to that from which the most dangerous wind 

 blows, and running at right angles to its direction. It has been 

 previously said that the outer trees on all sides should be left 

 standing until the last portion of the crop is removed; and it is, of 



