WOODS OF THE XOVAR ESTATE. 89 



No. 57. — Assynt West Belt. 

 Young Conifers, 4*835 Acres. 



Conditions of Locality.— Elevation, 360 to 400 feet ; gentle S. 

 slope. Soil, shallow, sandy loam, with hard, stony subsoil. 



Crop. — Age, 11 years. In N. part pure larch; side branches 

 green ; grass growing below. A large proportion, even of the 

 largest trees, gnawed by rabbits, and disease very prevalent. In 

 the centre, Scots fir with a few larch ; cover denser than in the 

 above, and grass dying in the thicker places. The larch is well 

 above the Scots fir. In the lower part, pure Scots fir and pure 

 spruce in groups, all doing well. There is a good deal of self-sown 

 birch, which is beginning to injure the leading shoots of the 

 spruce. There are dense patches of whins in places. 



Treatment. — Gut out diseased larch from the upper or N. 

 portion. Lop birch in lower part where injuring the spruce, but 

 do not cut out all the birch at present. Kill down the rabbits. 



No. 58. — Blackrock Bbae. 

 Old Conijers, 23-933 Acres. 



Conditions of Locality.— Elevation, 400 to 420 feet ; occupies 

 a steep N. slope down to the Blackrock Water. Soil, fairly deep 

 and strong loam. Has suffered much from N. winds. Open to 

 grazing. 



Crop.— Age, 81 years. Scots fir and larch with a few hardwoods. 

 Fairly dense groups of Scots fir here and there, alternating with 

 extremely thin crops. Estimated stock, 60 trees, each of 17 cubic 

 feet, to the acre. The larch is all " royed." There are some dense 

 patches of brackens, and a few seedlings of self-sown birch. 



Treatment.— Larch should be cut out at once, and the whole 

 area should be cleared and restocked with Scots fir as soon as 

 possible. 



No. 59. — Blackrock Wood. 

 Old Conifers, 41 -206 Acres. 



Conditions of Locality.— Elevation, 420 to 450 feet ; gentle S. 

 slope. Fair depth of light, sandy loam, but shallow in places. 

 Has suffered from wind at N.E. corner, and is also exposed on 

 W. side. Open to grazing. 



Crop.— Age, 92 years. Scots fir with a few larch. Estimated 

 stock, 150 trees, each of 15 cubic feet, to the acre. There are some 

 dense patches of brackens, and the wood is open to grazing ; but 

 a few self-sown seedlings of Scots fir and larch are springing up. 

 The trees are attacked by the pine beetle. 



Treatment.— When the time for felling arrives, close to grazing, 

 and regenerate naturally with Scots fir and a small proportion of 

 larch. Establish permanent shelter-belts on the W. and N.E. 

 sides. 



VOL. XVI. PART I. ,; 



