ITfi TRANSACTION'S OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



No. 23. Tliey have, however, received a greater number of 

 thinnings, and are consequently better furnished with branches, 

 though the timber is not so clean and straight as if they had been 

 allowed to stand thicker on the ground. Natural vegetation is, 

 likewise, abundant, and consists of the bilberry, crowberry, gorse, 

 heath, ferns, and grasses common to such situations. 



No. 25. — This consists of a number of small and recently- 

 formed plantations and screen belts containing in all about 40 

 acres. The soil is of two distinct kinds — sandy loam and peaty 

 loam ; the situations sheltered, and the distance inland from two 

 to three miles. The Corsican pine has been largely planted 

 in all these woods, but there is also a fair quantity of larch, Scots 

 and spruce firs, as well as various kinds of hardwoods. All these 

 plantations have been formed within the past ten years, but the 

 greater number seven years ago. They are thriving well, but have 

 as yet received no thinning, although one of the patches, which is 

 composed principally of the Corsican pine, will require attention in 

 this way during the present year. 



No. 26 is a seaside plantation of nearly 20 acres in extent, and 

 was formed eighteen years ago. Next to the shore the soil, as 

 might be expected, is barren and sandy, but inwards it improves 

 wonderfully, being of a loamy nature, intermixed with veins of 

 clay and sand. The trees first planted were the Corsican and 

 Austrian pines, sycamore, elm, white beam (Pyrus aria), and 

 willow ; while of shrubs the sea buckthorn, blackthorn, spindle- 

 tree, tamarisk, barberry, and laurel occupied the more prominent 

 places. Owing to the unfavourable surroundings many of the trees, 

 particularly the hai'dwoods, have died out, and their places, next 

 to the shore at least, have been filled by planting strong bushy 

 plants of Pinus Pinaster and also more of the Corsican pine, this 

 latter doing best of any down even to high water mark. 



Gorse and broom seeds germinated freely, and a great portion of 

 the sea barrier is now thickly covered by the former. Amongst 

 the shrubs that have done best, particular mention may be made of 

 the tamarisk, sea buckthorn, and Darwin's barberry, all these 

 being invaluable plants for using along the sea coast. 



No. 27 is 15 acres in extent; soil, an unkindly clayey loam, resting 

 on rough gravel ; situation, exposed to the south and west. The 

 ground was originally planted with Scots fir, larch, birch, and 

 alder, but owing to the unkindly nature of the soil and exposure 

 to the strong south-western gales, many of them have died oiit, 

 and the ground has been replanted with Corsican, Austrian, 



