FOREST OPERATIONS IN COUNTY GALWAY, IRELAND. 257 



shelter against the strong winds and the accompanying salt spray. 

 A single shelter-belt on the western edge of the estate will not 

 give this, because it would take a great number of years to pro- 

 duce it, and then its effect would only reach a comparatively 

 short distance. Shelter must be provided all over the area, and 

 this had best be done by growing strips of suitable trees at 

 intervals of, say, 10 feet. So far we have no final evidence 

 which tree will be best suited for the purpose, but I think a trial 

 should be made with birch, alder, and mountain pine. I propose, 

 therefore, to sow strips of these at intervals of 10 feet, operations 

 to be commenced on the western boundary of the estate, and the 

 strips to run north and south. As I believe sowings will succeed 

 better than planting, I propose that the turf be lightly taken off 

 in strips about 12 to 18 inches broad, so as to get rid of the 

 heather, and that the seeds be sown on these and lightly raked 

 in. Alder and mountain pine should be sown in spring ; birch 

 in summer, as soon as the seed is ripe. The percentage of seeds 

 of birch and alder which germinate is small, hence they should 

 be sown rather densely. There should be a number of rows 

 of birch, alder, and pine, each separately, so as to see which 

 succeeds best. 



At first only a limited area should be thus treated. If the 

 experiment succeeds, more valuable species can be introduced 

 between the rows, when they have reached a sufficient height to 

 give the necessary shelter. 



Although I believe that sowings will succeed best in this case, 

 it is desirable to make another attempt with planting. I propose, 

 therefore, to plant a number of rows with two-year-old seedlings. 

 For this purpose the plants should be raised on a sheltered spot 

 in specially prepared soil, and, when two years old, planted out 

 with a peg or a narrow long spade, so as to get their roots down 

 as deep as possible. 



In the present instance I should sow on bog of any depth that 

 may come in the way, as the object is to find out by experiment 

 what can be done on such land. In the case of any new areas 

 being taken up, I shall make different proposals. 



(b) The County of Galway generally. 



As early as December 1885 I pointed out, in a pamphlet 

 written at the request of the late Earl of Carnarvon, then 

 Viceroy of Ireland, that afforestation might prove of great value 



