15G TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



VI. The Plantations on the Estate of Wentworth, Yorkshire. 

 By George Dodds, Forester, "Wentworth, Eotherham, 

 Yorkshire. 



In this Report I propose giving some details of the nature, 

 extent, and management of the woodlands upon the estate of the 

 Right Hon. the Earl Fitzwilliam, K.G., at Wentworth, York- 

 shire. The estate is situate in the southern part of the West 

 Riding, and extends to close upon 60,000 acres ; the woods and 

 plantations occupying about 5640 acres of that area. 



The estate lies at a comparatively low altitude in the midst of 

 the South Yorkshire coal and iron districts. The soil as a general 

 rule is not of first-rate quality, and the subsoil is of a cold clayey 

 nature, yet, in some instances, trees have grown in it to a great 

 age and an immense size. 



The difficulty now to contend with in growing ti'ees in this 

 district is the amount of smoke in the atmosphere, and any one 

 not accustomed to ii-on and coal mining districts can scarcely con- 

 ceive the damage done to vegetation by the smoke and fumes 

 from the mines, and also from the coke ovens which are in constant 

 operation in the locality. In making new plantations or in 

 renovating the old woods upon the estate, much care has to be 

 taken to use the species of trees upon which the smoke seems to 

 have least efiect. These are principally trees having a smoothish 

 bark, such as ash, beech, birch, Spanish chestnut, horse chestnut, 

 lime, wych elm, and sycamore. 



A considerable quantity of larch has been planted of late years, 

 but after reaching a height of ten to twelve feet the trees ai-e gradu- 

 ally dying ofi", chiefly on account of the unsuitability of the soil for 

 the growth of larch, but also in some measure from the surround- 

 ing atmosphere being impregnated with noxious vapours, which are 

 injurious to plant life. I notice the only trees of the pine tribe 

 that seem to thrive here are the Scots fir, Pinus sylvestris, the 

 Austrian pine, P. Austriaca, and the Corsican pine, P. Laricio. 



Many of the newer conifers, especially Cedrus Deodara and 

 Wellingtonia gigantea, have been planted in the Home woods 

 and Park, but after lingering for a few years they have mostly all 

 died out, and those that are alive pi-esent a very sickly appearance. 



I purpose to give in detail the system of management of the 

 woods on this estate which has been followed for a number 



