THE CONDITION OF FORESTRY IN BRITAIN. 173 



done can possibly conceive how really grievous it is. While in the 

 Countess of Seafield's pine woods, I wished to show those who 

 were with me the system of thinning as it is carried out in 

 Germany; but this was not possible, for nowhere could I find any 

 extent of normally developed young trees. 



Some efibrt of course is made to dispose of the squirrels, and, 

 just as in northern Russia, use is made of dogs specially trained 

 for squirrel hunting. An idea of the extent of the pest may be 

 gathered by my stating that Mr Munro Ferguson's forester, with 

 the assistance of his dogs, shot forty-one squirrels in one morning, 

 A certain sum (commonly threepence) is usually paid for each 

 tail. Upon the Seafield property, the expenditure in this way for 

 squirrel killing during the year 1901 amounted to £80! Com- 

 bined action, it is felt, must be taken against this dangerous 

 animal, and for this purpose an attempt is being made to form 

 " squirrel clubs." 



But bad though squirrels are, the damage done by larch disease 

 is still worse; there is at least some possibility of overcoming the 

 squirrel attack. For the last forty years, larch disease has spread 

 in the most disastrous manner through the British woods. Its 

 presence is universal. It vai'ies only in the degree of severity 

 with which it attacks different localities. The canker extends 

 rapidly or slowly in certain years, as the weather favours or retards 

 its development, but it is never absent. The evil wrought by the 

 disease is felt with all the greater force because the quick growth 

 and valuable timber of the larch have caused that species to be 

 largely planted. Trials with seed from many different parts have 

 been made, but so far without result. Larix leptolepis and Larix 

 sibirica are also being dealt with experimentally. Up to the 

 present, the Japanese species (at most sixteen years old) has grown 

 well, but what its future will be we have still to learn. 



After going through larch woods of forty to sixty years old, 

 that have suffered both from squirrels and disease, one can under- 

 stand the difficulties of the owner in knowing what to do with his 

 woods, and can more readily appreciate how it is he gives up 

 thought of timber, and turns his plantations into game coverts. 

 One thing is cle;ir, that a change from the too extensive planting 

 of larch is necessary, and that pure woods of that species should 

 be specially avoided. 



The excellent growth of North-West American conifers on the 

 policies of many estates should encourage the adoption of some of 

 these as timber crops. I aiu quite convinced that they should be 



