WOODS OP THE NOVAR ESTATE. 71 



No. 9. — CONTULLICH BELT. 



Young Conifers, 30-858 Acres. 



Conditions of Locality.— Elevation, 400 to 550 feet ; gentle N.E. 

 slope. Soil, hard and shallow in the higher part, deeper and of 

 better quality lower down. Exposed to N.E. winds. 



Crop. — Age, 11 years. Scots fir and larch. On the higher 

 ground there is a scattered crop of natural Scots fir, age about 30 

 years ; this was interplanted in 1888 with Scots fir and a few larch, 

 which are being kept back by the older crop. The lower part 

 carries a fine young wood of Scots fir and larch, which form a 

 dense and promising crop of, for the most part, healthy young 

 trees. Some of them have, however, been attacked by rabbits, 

 which gnaw even the largest of the young trees. There is a dense 

 crop of self-sown larch on the S. side, next to Contullich Wood, and 

 these are, generally speaking, healthy. There is a very dense 

 growth of whins in the lower part, but the crop is well above 

 them. 



Treatment. — Cut out the older Scots fir on the higher ground ; 

 they will not develop into good trees. Plant up the ground with 

 Scots fir and shade-bearers, and with spruce on the moister 

 places. Cut out the diseased larch. Keep down the rabbits. A 

 permanent shelter-belt is required on the N. and E. sides. 



No. 10.— Contullich Wood. 



Conditions of Locality.— Elevation, 200 to 600 feet ; gentle S. 

 slope. Soil, shallow, hard and gravelly above, with mossy strips 

 at intervals ; good depth below. Much exposed to N.E. wind, 

 from which the crop suffered severely in 1893-94. 



Crop. — Old Wood. Age, 75 years. Scots fir 87 acres, larch 43 

 acres, including a few hardwoods near the road. Estimated stock, 

 180 trees, of 9 cubic feet each, to the acre; a few of the trees 

 measure 40 cubic feet each. The Scots fir appears to have been 

 over-thinned, and has also been much damaged by squirrels ; but 

 there are still many good trees. The larch are mostly "royed." 

 A good growth of natural seedlings has appeared since the wood 

 was closed two years ago, except where dense brackens have kept 

 them back over extensive areas ; but natural seedlings of both larch 

 and Scots fir readily push their way through heather up to 2 feet, 

 in height. The old trees are attacked by Pme Beetle. — Young 

 Wood. Planted in 1899 with Scots fir, larch and spruce, which 

 form groups on the harder, the deeper, and the moister parts 

 respectively, About two-thirds of the area are covered with 

 dense brackens, which form a very serious obstacle to the growth 



