WOODS OF THE NOVAR ESTATE. S3 



generally light and sandy ; shallow on ridges, deep and loamy in 

 the hollows. The dangerous winds are those from the S.W. 

 and N.E. 



Crop. — Old Wood. Age, 47 years. Scots fir and larch, the latter 

 "royed." Ground apparently ill-suited to larch. Estimated stock, 

 100 trees, each of 9 cubic feet, to the acre. Much damage done by 

 squirrels. There are dense patches of brackens ; but the germin- 

 ating bed being generally good, and the wood being closed, many 

 self-sown seedlings appear wherever they find enough light. — Young 

 Wood. Age, 14 years. Larch, with some spruce five years younger. 

 Larch very badly diseased, owing no doubt to unsuitable natural 

 conditions, and formerly defective drainage. The ground might 

 have been stocked with spruce. The worst of the larch were 

 taken out in 1897, and yielded over £100 as "sheep-net stickings." 

 In spring of 1899, half the ground was, as an experiment, under- 

 planted with spruce, silver fir and Menzies fir. Damage has been 

 done by rabbits. 



Treatment. — The Old Wood will, in due course, no doubt, be 

 regenerated naturally. — The Young Wood. Watch effect of under- 

 planting. A further cutting out of diseased trees will shortly be 

 necessary. 



No. 37. — Dail Gheal. 



Old Conifers, 27 '003 Acres. 



Young Conifers, .... 12*000 ,, 



Unstocked, 45*000 „ 



Excluded, . . . 40-997 „ 



Total, . . . 125-000 „ 



Conditions or Locality.— Elevation, 180 to 220 feet; ground 

 undulating, with generally S. aspect ; a low, broken ridge on S. 

 and W. sides. Soil, generally loamy, of moderate depth, but deep 

 in places. Drainage here and there defective. Has suffered 

 severely from N.E. winds. 



Crop. — Old Wood. Age, 99 years. 21*003 acres of Scots fir and 

 larch, 5 acres of larch, and 1 acre of beech and ash. Estimated 

 stock, 55 trees, each 25 cubic feet, to the acre. Some of the old 

 trees are damaged by the rope of the traction-engine. There are 

 patches of dense- brackens, but numerous young seedlings appear 

 wherever there is light enough, — Young Wood. Age, 17 years. 

 Mixture of Scots fir, larch and spruce, with a few silver firs and 

 Douglas firs. There are small blanks throughout, and a good 

 many trees are damaged by browsing. The larch are. badly 

 diseased. There is a dense growth of whins in places. Roe-deer 

 and rabbits have done considerable damage. — Unstocked Ground. 

 A great deal of broom, whins and brackens over almost the whole 

 area. There is some natural young growth near the old wood. 



Treatment. — Old Wood. The larch, which is for the most part 

 "royed," should be cut out; under-plant the patch of Scots fir 

 to the E. of the young wood with shade-bearers. — Young Wood. 

 Cut out diseased larches and damaged trees, and fill up with 

 Douglas fir. — Unstocked Ground. Most of this will be occupied by 

 experimental plots; the ground not thus required will be 

 stocked with Scots fir, except in the hollows, where spruce will 



