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FORESTRY IN SCOTLAND IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA. 119 
our forest-tree nurseries, which annually raise seedlings enough 
to plant many thousands of acres, and for all of which there 
seems to be a steadily growing demand, it is natural to believe 
that our forests are spreading in their extent, and yearly adding 
to their acreage. Statistics, so far as they are available and their 
accuracy can be depended upon, prove this to be correct, and for 
at least the past three decades, the forest areas in Scotland have 
had upwards of 4000 acres added to them annually, over and 
above the restocking of woodlands that have been cleared of their 
crop of timber. In the future the rate of increase is likely to 
be much greater, when the improved methods now being developed 
show their success, and the true principles of forestry are better 
understood and generally practised. 
Forest-TREE NURSERIES. 
The institution of home nurseries on large estates is an important 
feature in connection with the planting of forest areas in Scotland 
during the present reign. They are a considerable advantage to 
the planter, where extensive planting operations are being carried 
out in a systematic manner; but although they are found on 
most estates of any pretensions from a forestry point of view, 
they do not seem to materially affect the increase and expansion 
of the public nurseries. In every populous and improving district 
in Scotland, we now find established one or more well-stocked 
and thriving commercial nurseries ; in fact, some favoured centres 
may be said to be crowded with them. The annual output of 
forest and ornamental trees and shrubs from the whole of these 
nurseries must be something marvellous; but we have no trust- 
worthy statistics available to show how many millions of plants 
they distribute to the public in the course of a season. 
Through the enterprise and public spirit of the nurserymen, 
a vast addition has been made within the past sixty years to the 
numbers of our choicest and most beautiful trees and shrubs, 
Much improvement has also been made by them in the methods 
of rearing a healthy and vigorous stock of plants and placing them 
on the market in the best condition, thus adding materially to 
their value and success when the trees are planted in their 
permanent position, and, with due care on the planter’s part, 
rendering failure almost an impossibility. The rearing of a clean 
and vigorous stock of trees is one of the most important functions 
