34 THE PLANTATIONS ON THE ESTATE OF SORN,. 
plants to grow well. Rabbits abound in the vicinity, and as 
little is done to protect the plants from them, it is feared the 
labour will prove very much in vain, At present the manage- 
ment is in a state of transition, Formerly the wood was cut by 
the forester’s staff, from 10 to 20 acres being cleared each year. 
Now the wood is sold standing to the wood merchant, who employs 
men to cut it at 3d. per tree, and 3d. per tree to burn the brush- 
wood. The forester goes over the plantation with the merchant, 
and values each tree according to the class of wood it produces. 
The different classes are ‘‘ propwood,” from 6 inches at the thick 
end to 3 inches at the small end; “ 6-inch cuts” measure not less 
than 6 inches in diameter, and “ 7-inch cuts” not less than 7 
inches, and so on. For these the following prices are obtained : 
propwood, 5s. 3d.; 6-inch cuts, 7s. 3d. ; 7-inch cuts, 10s, per 100 
feet lineal, and 3d. per cubic foot for larger Scots and spruce fir. 
The trees now being cut will measure on an average 30 cubic 
feet. 
This is not likely to prove a satisfactory mode of operation, as 
the drains are filled up to allow the carts to pass through the 
woods. The upturned roots of the blown trees falling down on a 
part which is not burned along with the brushwood, will become 
a breeding ground for insects that will destroy the young plants 
whenever the ground is replanted, else there must be a long delay 
till the roots and brush are completely rotted. Young trees when 
planted near the old stumps, root all to one side, and consequently 
are easily blown over; and from the fact that they do not readily 
make roots among the old ones, they do not succeed so well as 
they should otherwise have done. In renewing plantations, 
it is of importance to use only the best variety of Scots fir, 
taking care to avoid the inferior sort, which is of a straggling 
coarse habit of growth, and does not stand the pinching of the 
side shoots so well as the native Scots fir. No doubt the poor 
quality of the soil is conducive to a straggling growth, yet a 
little pinching-in of the points of the lateral shoots, if done in 
time, does much towards a compact growth. When the lower 
branches of Scots fir are dead 6 or 7 feet up, they should be care- 
fully cut off close to the stem. This affords ventilation, and gives 
room for more plants on the ground to select from at future 
thinnings. It also allows freedom for carrying on operations in 
the woods, and for beating out the ground game. Whenever 
woods get crowded and impenetrable by overgrowth or otherwise, 
