256 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
fully 2} feet in eighteen years. The Scots pine grows almost as 
fast as the larch—the average in over fifty trees measured being 
about an eighth less—under similar conditions. 
Natural reproduction of the Scots pine goes on so rapidly on 
peat bog that it must be considered one of the very best trees for 
planting on it. As an example of this I may state that five acres 
of partially drained peat bog on the side of a large lake in Ireland 
is now quite clothed with a thriving crop of self-sown Scots fir, the 
seeds being carried from a clump of old trees growing at a short 
distance away. Seeing how well the young trees were thriving, 
principally along the edge of the drains, I had all the damper 
portions of the ground thoroughly drained, with the result being 
that there is now a healthy crop of fast-growing trees all over the 
ground. In order, however, to avoid bare patches, I had a few 
young trees notched in here and there wherever gaps occurred. 
I am quite aware that the wood of Scots fir is of less value than 
that of the larch, but my object here is to point out the most 
suitable trees for growing on the soil under consideration. The 
Spruces are excellent trees for planting on reclaimed peat bog, 
where they produce a fair amount of timber, and afford excellent 
shelter to other trees. 
Of hardwoods, the Beech is one of the best for bog planting, as 
it grows rapidly and produces a great amount of clean timber. 
Several trees felled in thinning a plantation of sixty years’ growth 
on deep peat, resting on clay, had straight, clean stems for 30 feet, 
and contained 75 feet of timber. The Alder grows luxuriantly on 
peaty soils, and in the plantation with the beeches just referred 
to, the greater portion of the trees were 60 feet in height, girthed 
5 feet at a yard from the ground, and showed no trace of disease. 
Another excellent bog tree is the Cherry, and the same may be 
said of the Holly. Ash and Oak are not generally of large size, 
nor are they always healthy on peat bog, even when it has received 
a great amount of attention in reclaiming. Birch, Lime, and Poplar 
of various kinds are all suited for planting on well-drained peat. 
Among the newer conifers, a large number of them are well 
suited for planting in reclaimed peat bog. By way of experiment, 
I have planted specimens of various kinds in newly formed 
plantations, and in nearly every case the trees have grown well, 
particularly when partially sheltered. Cupressus macrocarpa is 
one of the best, and not a whit behind it are C. Lawsoniana and 
C. Goveniana. Wellingtonia gigantea and Sequoia sempervirens 
