THE PLANTATIONS ON THE PENRHYN ESTATE, NORTH WALES. 1G9 



obtained from this wood, except, perhaps, the sum realised from the 

 great quantities of game which are fostered beneath its shade. 



On an average the trees are about 12 feet in height, but 

 remarkably spreading and bushy, and therefore well suited for 

 acting as a game preserve. 



No. 7 contains about 53 acres, and in contradistinction to the 

 last, is a profitable wood, although situated at from 600 feet to 

 fully 1000 feet above sea-level, and exposed at times to terrific 

 storms. It clothes the southern slope of a hill, near the entrance 

 to the Pass of Nant Francon, and was planted thirty-five years 

 ago. Except in one place where peat is present, the soil is a 

 kindly loam, not too stiff", resting on slate rock, which crops above 

 the ground in several places. 



The crop is principally larch, but a few Scots and spruce firs 

 are likewise present, as are also oak, sycamore, and alder. 



As thinning has been carefully attended to, the trees, especially 

 the larches, ai'e well grown, clean, and destitute of branches for 

 half their height. They average 30 feet in height, and, being 

 straight and clean, sell readily either for fencing purposes or 

 telegraph poles. On the outskirts of the wood the trees are not 

 so tall as stated, more particularly those on the southern and 

 south-western sides. Plenty of natural underwood occurs through- 

 out the plantation, especially along the rocky margins of a fast- 

 tumbling mountain stream that traverses its entire length. The 

 bilberry, cranberry, crowberry, heath, and St John's wort occur 

 in plenty, while, as might be expected in a mountain woodland, 

 other smaller growing plants are tolerably abundant. 



No. 8. — Thi-ee woods are here included, for as they lie adjacent 

 to each other, are of nearly similar soils, and were planted at the 

 same time, they may well be treated as one. The total extent 

 is 35 acres, the soil a stiff" but fertile loam, the aspect north, 

 and the underlying rock a valuable slate. 



One of these plantations, however, diff"ers considerably from the 

 others in the soil being damp and retentive, and the crop hardwoods 

 instead of conifers. In it alder and birch form the main crop, 

 with a few sycamores and ashes on the drier grounds. They are 

 fully 20 feet in height, and having been allowed plenty of room, 

 are well furnished with branches down to within a yard of the 

 ground. Larch forms the main crop of the other two, and is well 

 grown, clean, and valuable. These woods were planted thirty- 

 two years ago, and from their rapid growth at so high an alti- 



