HISTORY OF THE PLANTATIONS ON SHAMBELLIE HILL. 41 



and larix fir, part with ash and common fir, and the rest with 

 beech and fir. For ten years past we have been weeding the 

 firs, which contain from 4 to 5 feet of timber in each tree and 

 produce fully ^40 per acre at the English market. The oaks 

 which remain are worth ^50 per acre. The beech is very 

 thriving, but the ash was by no means so till cut over about 

 three years ago, which produced an astonishing change. 



During the seven succeeding years your father planted about 

 200 acres with oak, ash, and common and larix fir. A few of 

 the firs are' taken out which measure from 3 to 4 feet, and you 

 know we have a tolerable good rate for them at the coal works 

 on the English side of the water. The whole hill, which 

 contains nearly 300 acres, was considered to be worth only 

 ^15 per annum before it was planted. I was originally tenant 

 of part of it. The soil is mostly good and dry, though one-half 

 of it was covered with large stones. 



We generally plant from 1500 to 3000 of different sorts of 

 trees per acre, two-thirds of which are common and larix fir, the 

 remainder oak and ash, with some birch and alder where the 

 ground is wet. I raised most of the plants from seed, so that 

 your father had few to buy, and it is consistent with my know- 

 ledge that the expense of enclosing the hill and executing the 

 several plantations did not exceed ^£400 altogether. I remember 

 of our getting, in 1765, a quantity of acorns from London at 

 the trifling expense of 40s. which produced above 150,000 plants. 



Last winter your father enclosed 1 2 acres of more ground, on 

 which were planted 10,000 oaks, 8000 common and 7000 larix 

 firs, 400 elms, and 400 birches, and next winter he proposes to 

 enclose and plant 12 acres more. 



There is of natural oak wood upon the estate about 20 acres, 

 which I have seen cut three different times in the course of the 

 last forty years, and which has paid the family about ^2000. 

 Some of the trees contain from 26 to 50 feet of wood, and one 

 tree, to my certain knowledge, yielded a ton of bark. I may 

 also mention that 3 acres of common firs planted by your great- 

 grandfather, which I cut and sold in the year 1773, produced, in 

 several instances, not less than 40 feet of timber, being then 

 between fifty and sixty years of age. 



I have now given the particulars requested, and will be 

 extremely happy to communicate such further information as 

 may be necessary or in my power to give. — I am, etc. 



