NOTES AND QUERIES. 79 



With regard lo the individual species it is proposed to deal, 

 in addition to statistics as to rate of growth, with such subjects 

 as botanical characteristics, methods of propagation, formation 

 of plantations and their treatment, timber physics, economics 

 and production, utilisation of timber, insect and fungus pests. 



Members of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society will 

 be able to render great help, in the first place, by continuing 

 to give facilities for statistical parties to enter their woods for 

 measuring plots and felling sample trees ; and, in the second 

 place, by supplying information as to their experiences in 

 forming and treating plantations. 



It is hoped that a ready response will be given to this appeal. 



Members could help by supplying information as to the 

 woods which they believe would give interesting and valuable 

 figures as to density, volume, and height. 



It is also highly desirable to have statistics relating to the 

 suitability of the more rapidly-growing conifers. It is believed 

 that in many parts of the country a large stock of pit-wood 

 could be produced in a short space of time by the selection 

 of suitable species of rapid growth, and valuable information 

 could be obtained from measurements of already existing 

 plantations, which have arrived at or are approaching a 

 utilisable age. 



On Nurse Trees in Young Plantations. 



In reading Colonel Stirling's interesting article (No. 15 in 

 Transactions for July 19 18) on the value of providing proper 

 nurses for hardwoods, I am reminded of a conversation I once 

 had with an experienced practical forester (Mr Doig, head 

 forester at the time at Thoresby, Notts) regarding the importance 

 of providing proper nurses for oaks. 



He related how he had just felled two plantations of mature 

 oaks of equal ages. In plantation A the oaks had been 

 planted with nurses (Spanish chestnut); in plantation B the 

 precaution of providing nurses had been neglected, and the 

 oak timber was all "shaken." Result: the oaks in plantation 

 A were sold at 2s. 6d. per cubic foot, while in plantation B 

 the price per cubic foot was less than 6d. 



This was a good many years ago, but as it seemed a lesson 

 worth remembering I made a careful note of the facts at the 

 time. Hugh Shaw Stewart. 



