344 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
acres of waste, we may then say that one-fourth is at too high 
an altitude for planting, while one-half is of such a nature, 
either from exposure, or variety, or depth of soil, as would 
render it also unsuitable. The remaining fourth could, I have 
no hesitation in affirming, be converted from a wild waste into 
flourishing forests, thereby adding beauty to the landscape, and 
giving the shelter so necessary to many parts of the island. 
To understand properly what the future of forestry in Arran 
might be, or what Arran is as a field for sylviculture, it will be 
necessary to consider its present state, and to look into the 
condition and prospects of the woods now existing on the 
island. Besides the 1360 acres which have been planted, and 
which will be considered in detail, several tracts of natural wood 
are to be found, but these are not of suflicient consequence to 
demand much attention. They consist principally of birch, 
with here and there some hazel, elm, oak, mountain ash, etc., in 
few places reaching sufficient size to come under the category of 
timber trees ; but these natural productions prove the suitability 
of the soil and climate for afforestation. Of these the birch 
(Letula alba) is the commonest tree. Although there is a con- 
siderable quantity of natural birch, it is not now of much 
commercial value in Arran. 
In many places near the coast natural coppice grows 
luxuriantly, and in some of the more inland parts, too, it is 
found in a thriving condition. In wet parts, and on the 
banks of the small rivers, the alder grows abundantly, but 
attains no great size. 
The ash, which grows well on the same soil, is found to be 
a better paying tree, but through inattention it does not nearly 
reach its full size, although in some cases very good timber is got. 
For instance, one ash tree measured, and by no means the largest 
met with, contained 20 cubic feet of good sound timber, Oak 
does not thrive very well, taking the island as a whole, but near 
Brodick some large trunks are to be found, for where sheltered 
it grows very well, and at the present time is being planted in 
several favourable situations. The natural oak, however, seldom 
attains to such dimensions as to be of any importance, and is not 
sufliciently plentiful to be of much value as coppice. 
Among the other trees that grow naturally may be mentioned 
the elm, beech, sycamore, mountain ash, and poplar, but the 
natural specimens of these trees are comparatively diminutive, and 
