Il6 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



wood eventually consists of an almost even-aged forest of oak, 

 with a thin undergrowth of birch and other species. 



The tree used as standards is chiefly oak. Ash, poplar, and 

 birch occur, however, at intervals, and the beech very rarely on 

 the poorer soil. 



The natural underwood consists chiefly of alder, birch, aspen, 

 hornbeam, hazel, sycamore, and sallow ; in the private forests 

 no hazel is ever planted, the species favoured and planted (to 

 serve as underwood) being hornbeam, ash, alder, and sycamore. 



Nursery. 



Each forest has its nursery, that of the private forest being 

 17 acres in area. 



The oaks are sown, and transplanted after two years, the space 

 between each being i ft. 6 in. by 9 in. This is rather a tight fit 

 when the plants reach five or six years of age, and it is recom- 

 mended to plant I ft. 6 in. by 12 in. in future. In the private 

 nursery the oaks so planted are thinned by again transplanting 

 when it is thought necessary. An experiment is being tried of 

 planting them far enough apart at two years in order that they 

 may attain their required size without a second transplanting. 



Large Scots pine are also grown in the private nursery. One 

 point to be noticed is the much greater area required for a broad- 

 leaved nursery than for a coniferous nursery. 



Measured Trees. 



The growth in these forests is rapid, 0-4 of an inch being about 

 the annual diameter increment laid on by the oak. 

 The following are a few trees actually measured : — 



Oak 155 years old, . . 7 ft- 9 in. girth. 



„ when planted, . . o ft. 4 in. „ 



„ 14 years, . . . i ft. o in. „ 



,, 28 years, . . . i ft. 6 in, „ 



The average reserve of standards per acre in the State forest 

 consists of — 



no oak .... = 73 per cent. 



3 beech and ash . . . = 2 „ 



37 poplar, sycamore, elm, and hornbeam = 25 ,, 



