160 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



crop is oak, but the younger woods are mixed oak, elm, sycamore, 

 ash, and other trees. The younger woods have been planted 

 in narrow belts, and mostly on land which has been occupied by 

 old pit workings, consequently the soil is of various kinds, but 

 clay is the prevailing one. This is also a smoke infested district, 

 one of the largest iron-works in Yorkshire being upon the land, 

 and also an extensive colliery. We are kept continually felling 

 dead trees, and I am of opinion that, if the smoke continues, 

 very few live trees will be found in the course of a few years. 



6. SwiNTON Woods. 



The woodlands in this district extend to about 300 acres. 

 The trees grown are chiefly oak. The situation is rather sheltered, 

 lying close upon the banks of the river Don, and the altitude is 

 about 150 feet above sea-level. The soil is yellow clay. 



The woods in the district have all the appearance of having 

 been well attended to, and thinning has been judiciously practised. 

 The great majority of the trees are well grown and healthy, 

 and exhibit all the signs of attaining to valuable dimensions. 



7. ECCLESHALL WoOD. 



This is a large wood extending to somewhere about 450 acres, 

 and lies to the south-east of the town of Sheflield. Portions of it 

 have already been taken up for building sites, and in a few years 

 hence, I have no doubt it will be extensively used for that pur- 

 pose, lying as it does within easy reach of such an important 

 and progressive town. 



The soil is light loam, in some places inclined to sand, and 

 rests upon the Millstone-Grit formation. The altitude is about 

 300 feet above sea-level, and rises with a gentle slope to the 

 west, forming the boundary line between Derbyshire and York- 

 shire. It is moderately sheltered, and I believe is also an out- 

 lying part of the ancient Nottinghamshire Forests. The crop is 

 oak, and must be of great age, as all the trees have the appear- 

 ance of being grown from old stools. 



The oak is not healthy, and shows symptoms of dying oflP in 

 the course of a few years. Some planting has been done in a few 

 of the openest parts, and consists of larch, Scots fir, sycamore, 

 Spanish chestnut, ash, elm, mountain ash, birch, and beech, 

 aud all promise to grow well. The ages of the recent jjlantings 



