THE DOUGLAS FIU IN SCOTLAND. 241 



cockchafers, cater2)illars, and beetles, attack exotics like indigenous 

 trees ; Trametes radiciperda (one of the most formidable of fungi) 

 destroys the Avood of the Douglas fir like that of any other 

 species." 



These words deserve serious consideration. It is more than 

 ]:)robable that the Douglas fir will, with us, in the course of time, 

 develop its full share of enemies, if not more, considering that it 

 is an exotic species. 



Before concluding, I desire to express a hope that my object in 

 l^ublishing these notes ou the Douglas fir may not be misunder- 

 stood. The cultivation of the tree in Great Britain and Ireland 

 looks at present very encouraging, and I trust that experiments 

 will be continued ; but I deprecate altogether rushing into extensive 

 plantings, as advocated by the correspondent of the Perthshire 

 Constitutional, until time has shown that the tree really deserves 

 to supersede the species hitherto cultivated by us, and of which 

 we know what to expect. My personal opinion is, that the Douglas 

 fir will just as little revolutionise our sylvicultural operations as 

 the Weymouth pine has been able to do, though great things were 

 expected of it at one time. There is a great difference between 

 nursing up a single tree in a fine soil and under otherwise favourable 

 conditions, and the growing of a species on a large scale for 

 economic purposes ; in the former case only exceptional results 

 present themselves to the eye. while in the latter case averages 

 must be looked for and reckoned with. 



