88 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



very few high-woods of oak, ash or elm can such clean butts 

 up to 25 feet be found as among the standards in coppice 

 woods. The standards being specially selected trees, of good 

 form, and grown under favourable conditions, the timber is very 

 clean and easily worked. W. H. Whellens. 



The Destruction of Young Plantations by Squirrels. 



The following letter has been received by the Secretary from 

 Mr James Grant, Head Forester, Novar, and was submitted 

 to a meeting of the Council. The members agreed that the 

 question was one of great importance, and gave instructions 

 that the letter should be printed in the Transactions. The letter 

 is as follows : — 



"Since the older fir plantations have been felled, the squirrels 

 have lost their accustomed places of refuge, and they are now 

 attacking the young plantations of ten years old and upwards. 

 Squirrel damage is a serious matter, and probably you may 

 be going to discuss this at one of your meetings. The number 

 of squirrels killed in Novar woods alone was 200 for the year. 

 To encourage the keeping down of the animals, Sir Ronald 

 Munro Ferguson has been paying the keepers 4d. per tail, and 

 this has been done for many years. During the war so many 

 keepers were called up for service, that squirrels have been 

 allowed to increase in numbers to a serious and dangerous 

 extent. Some steps should be taken at once to keep down 

 these destructive pests, if the younger plantations are to be 

 saved from destruction. Should you bring this before one 

 of your meetings, I shall be glad to know what steps are 

 recommended." 



A Note on Planting and Sowing. 



Foresters, and those to whom forestry was formerly nothing 

 more than a word, are now alike in stating that re-afforestation 

 must take place on a large scale to make up the ravages of 

 war on our woodlands. Undoubtedly the first thing to be done 

 will be to re-establish trees on the sites of old forests. But it 

 is hoped that this will not be the limit of our afforestation 

 efforts, and that new land will be taken for tree culture. 



