NOTES AND QUERIES. 161 



its hardness and liability to warp when it is cut into boards render 

 it unfit for fine work.^ In the lumber markets of California it is 

 called Oregon Pine. When lumbering is going on in the best 

 Douglas woods, especially about Puget Sound, many of the long, 

 slender boles are saved for spars ; and so superior is their quality 

 that they are called for in almost every shipyard in the world." 



Damage by Squirrels. 



Mr Andrew Chapman, Breckonhill, Lockerbie, writes as 

 follows : — "In September last I noticed considerable damage done 

 by squirrels in one of the woods of the Wamphray estate, belong- 

 ing to Sir Robert Jardine, Bart, of Castlemilk. The plantation 

 referred to, having suffered severely by a gale, was replanted about 

 fourteen years ago with a mixture of larch, Scotch fir, spruce, and 

 hardwoods. Several of the original trees are still standing, and 

 the young trees are healthy looking and doing fairly well. Many of 

 the young larch, birch, and ash have, however, been damaged by 

 squirrels, several of the larches being peeled all round about 6 feet 

 or so from the top. In some instances a band about 2 feet long 

 has been peeled in the centre of a tree, and in other instances near 

 the top. The birch and ash are damaged in a similar manner, and 

 in one instance I noticed a birch with the stem completely stripped 

 from top to bottom. The forester informed me that he had 

 spoken to the gamekeeper, who soon after shot eight squirrels in 

 that small wood of about 12 acres. Squirrels appeared to be more 

 numerous in this district last summer than they have been for 

 years, but after this hard winter their number may be reduced." 



The Problem of the Unemployed. 



In connection with the above subject. The Timber News writes : 

 — The question of afforestation of some of the spare land that 

 exists pretty largely has, however, come to the front once more. 

 It has, we believe, been discussed very seriously by experts, and 

 the opinion is undoubtedly that it is a great work, an almost 



^ It is not likely to improve in tins respect when grown in this country. — 

 Hon. Ed. 



VOL. XVII. PART I. L 



