502 PLANTATIONS AND TREES ON THE ESTATE OF BRAHAN. 
ference of from 8 to 10 feet at 5 feet from the ground, and con- 
taining from 20 to 30 cubic feet. The clump of larch mentioned 
by Mr Grigor in his “ Arboriculture,” p. 220, is in this plantation. 
There are about 30 of these trees still standing, although the largest 
have yielded to the storms. They are about 100 years of age, and 
range from 100 to 120 feet in height, containing from 100 to 150 
cubic feet of good timber, and are still sound and healthy, They 
were grown from seed of the larches at Belladrum, Inverness-shire, © 
which are of the same lot as those at Dunkeld and Blair Athole. 
The Brahan larches are therefore among the first plants raised from 
home-grown seed. 
Beside this clump of old larch there were several trees of the 
same age planted singly throughout this and other plantations on 
the estate. These have grown equally well, one tree in this same 
plantation reaching the height of 135 feet. Besides the larch there 
is also a clump of Norway spruces, 100 years of age, 110 feet in 
height, and containing each about 130 cubic feet. There are also 
several large beeches and Spanish chestnuts, about 75 feet high, 
with a girth of from 10 to 12 feet in circumference at 5 feet up. 
The whole of this plantation is in a healthy state. 
No. 5 comprises 200 acres of hardwoods ; altitude, 100 to 200 
feet ; exposure, E. and W.; soil, light loam; subsoil, gravel; 
geological formation, sandstone. The largest part of this plantation 
is oak, with a mixture of beech, ash, natural birch, and alder, and 
a few spruces. The oaks are from 40 to 50 feet in height, with a 
circumference of 3 to 5 feet, and contain from 10 to 15 cubic feet each. 
There are also two clumps of Scots fir, 25 and 35 years old. The 
youngest has thriven well, and the trees are from 30 to 35 feet 
high, but being grown rather close, their girth is not proportionate 
to their height. 
The second clump is growing on land which had previously 
yielded a crop of Scots fir, and the soil being poor and light, the 
trees have consequently not done so well. They are from 30 to 40 
feet high, and from 2 to 3 feet in circumference. These clumps, 
as indeed all the Scots fir and larch on the estate, have suffered 
severely from the ravages of squirrels, which are very numerous, 
and do great damage every year during the months of May and 
June, by barking the stems of the trees. 
No. 6 is another plantation of 350 acres of hardwoods ; com- 
prising oak, ash, beech, Spanish chestnut, Scots fir, and birch; 
altitude, 150 to 200 feet; exposure, S. and W.; soil, good loam ; 
subsoil, gravelly clay; geological formation, conglomerate and 
