WOODS OF THE NOVAE ESTATE. 69 



No. 5. — Baddax's Belt. 

 Old Conifers, 19-420 Acres. 



Conditions of Locality. — Elevation, 650 feet ; gentle slope 

 to E. For the most part shallow, poor and mossy, but fairly good 

 in the lower parts. Drainage very defective. Much exposed 

 to N.W. winds. Open to grazing. Outside the line of wire 

 netting. 



Crop. — Age, GO years. Scots fir and larch. Estimated stock, 

 40 trees, of 5^ cubic feet each, to the acre. A very thin, poor and 

 stunted crop; much damaged by wind and by squirrels. A strong 

 growth of coarse heather covers the ground, but there are a few 

 natural Scots fir seedlings in places. 



Treatment. — Fell as soon as possible and restock the ground 

 with Scots fir mixed with a few larch. Look to the drainage. 

 A permanent shelter-belt is much needed on the X.W. side. 



No. 6. — Cnoc Duchaire. 



Old Conifers, 168-786 Acres. 



Unstocked, 70-000 „ 



Toted, . . . 238-786 



Conditions of Locality. — Elevation, from 800 to 1170 feet; 

 ground slopes down in all directions from the summit of the isolated 

 peak, near which it falls steeply, but has a moderate inclination 

 lower down. Soil very shallow and poor on and near the summit, 

 as well as on the N. side, but deep in the lower part. The summit 

 of the hill is exposed to wind from all quarters. The wood is open 

 to grazing. It is outside the line of wire netting. 



Crop. — Age, 69 years. Estimated stock — 80 acres of the lower 

 ground on the S. side carry 190 trees, of 10 cubic feet each, to the 

 acre ; the remaining 88786 acres carry 150 trees, of 5i cubic feet, 

 to the acre. The summit shows a few scattered and very stunted 

 trees, the worst of which grow where the ground is covered with 

 grey moss. The growth on the X. side is poor, but improves on 

 the S. side. Throughout the wood great damage has been done by 

 squirrels ; no less than 41 Mere killed here in a single morning. 

 The trees have also suffered much from attack by Pine Beetle. 

 Considerable areas are covered with dense brackens. Some young 

 self-sown seedlings are found in places. Of the unstocked area, 

 40 acres (the summit of the hill) are unsuited for planting, and 

 the remaining 30 acres are covered with the debris of the old 

 crop which was blown clown in 1893-94. Young seedlings are 

 springing up where they escape the sheep and are not kept back 

 by a too dense growth of brackens. 



■Treatment. — The old wood is not improving, and should be cut 

 down as soon as possible. A new crop of Scots fir, with a small 

 proportion of larch, should be raised on the ground, as far as pos- 

 sible by natural regeneration. The 30 acres of bare ground should 

 be similarly stocked. All existing trees at the higher elevations 

 should be preserved on account of the shelter they afford. 



