REPORT OF ANNUAL EXCURSION. I37 



consists chiefly of larch poles 50 feet in height, and containing 

 on an average 10 cubic feet per pole. 



A nursery of 3^ acres, well stocked with healthy seedlings 

 and transplants, was visited. The nursery management reflects 

 great credit on those in charge. The estate sawmill, driven 

 by electric power obtained from compensation water returned 

 to the river, was also seen. After a newly formed planta- 

 tion of 255 acres and a second nursery in the Marchnant valley 

 were visited, the return journey was made to Shrewsbury. 



On Thursday, the 24th, a journey of 32 miles was made 

 to see the Kerry woods, which lie chiefly on the Brynllywarch 

 estate on the borders of Radnor, Montgomery and Salop. The 

 Kerry Hill is a long ridge which runs in a E.N.E. and W.S.W. 

 direction at an elevation of 1490-1570 feet. The rainfall of the 

 district is high, being estimated at about 50 inches on the 

 higher land and southern slopes. Snowfall is irregular, and 

 frosts are not severe. Shelter from wind on the northern slopes 

 is good, but the southern slopes are more exposed, and the 

 shelter on the top of the hill is small. The soil in both its 

 chemical and physical properties is well suited for tree-growth. 

 The whole of the woodland area was recently purchased by 

 Mr Higginbottom, who resold certain portions to various firms 

 of timber merchants, and the woods are in process of being 

 felled. On arrival at Kerry village the party were met by 

 Mr Anderson and Mr Maskery, representing Mr Higginbottom, 

 and were conducted over the woods by them. The first 

 wood visited was the New Pool wood containing Douglas fir 

 34 years old and 90 feet high, and larch 55 years old and 

 80 feet high. The wood is now being felled. Bettws Hill 

 wood, situated at an elevation of 1350 feet above sea-level, 

 contains about 2000 cubic feet of timber, quarter-girth measure- 

 ment, per acre. This wood is also being felled. This wood 

 was planted 34 years ago with spruce and Scots pine on what 

 was originally rough grazing land. The wood had never been 

 thinned, but the Scots pine had been mostly suppressed and 

 killed out by the spruce. 



After a halt for lunch at the Anchor Inn, which -stands at an 

 altitude of 1540 feet, some of the party visited the Cefn Golog 

 wood, aged 44 years, and stretching from an altitude of 1000 feet 

 to 1545 feet. Spruce, larch, and Scots pine were the three 

 species planted. Spruce is doing well all over, larch is good 



VOL. XXXIV. PART II. K 



