166 TRAKSACTIONS OF KOVAL SCOTTISH ARlilUtlCULTUllAL SOCIETY. 



composed of peat, and resting at no great depth on slate rock. In 

 several places throughout the plantation the rock crops above the 

 ground, in some instances to a height of 20 feet, so that timber 

 growth on such places is stunted when comi>ared with that of the 

 wood generally. The main crop consists of larch and Scots fir, 

 with a free sprinkling of Ahies Lotujlusii in the lower-lying half of 

 the "wood, and a few beech and spruce at the highest elevation. 



Generally speaking, the trees have done well, for although only 

 twenty-two years planted, the average height, up to 9UU feet 

 altitude, is fully 27 feet. Ahies Douglasii grows very rapidly; 

 but on overtopping the surrounding trees the leader usually gets 

 broken over, so that at present, although thicker in the stems, they 

 are no taller than the general crop. The plantation has been 

 thiixned twice, but the trees are thick on the gi'ound, and the stems 

 of the larch in particular are remarkably clean, straight, and with 

 a gradual taper, rendering them of great value for fencing pur- 

 poses. At present the average distance between the trees is 

 about 6 feet. Towards the top the crop becomes gradually lighter, 

 but had a belt of the Austrian and Corsican pines taken the 

 place of the larch now existing, the trees would have been, we 

 have no doubt, of little less stature than those at lower levels. 



The natural vegetation of the woodland consists of Empetrum 

 itigrum, Erica vulgaris, Vaccinium Myrtillus, Oxycoccus palustrin, 

 the latter on ^amp ground, Pteris aquilina, Polypodium vulgare, 

 Allosorus crispus, Athyrium Filix-fijtmina, Lastrea Filix-nias, 

 Lycopodium Selago, and various species of grasses, these generally 

 occurring in the more open parts of the wood and amongst the 

 rocks which crop out here and there over its surface. 



No. 2 was planted ten years ago, contains 31 acres, and is at 

 altitudes varying from 500 feet to 750 feet. The soil is of ex- 

 cellent quality, being a rich sandy loam, although about 5 acres 

 at the exti-eme top consist of peat, the whole resting on the 

 debris of slate rock. 



As an experiment the wood was planted with the Corsican pine 

 and Cornish elm at 16 feet apart, the intervening spaces being 

 filled up with larch, Scots fir, and various kinds of hardwoods. 

 Around the margin on the exjiosed side a number of the Austrian 

 j)ine were planted, while spruce and alder were largely used in the 

 damp, peaty ground at the top of the wood. The Corsican pine has, 

 perhaps, done best of any, and will form the standing crop with a 

 few specimens of the Cornish elm for variety and distant effect. 



