BELGIAN SYSTEM OF PLANTING ON TURFS. I 57 



fact that the seedlings were brought from the sheltered nursery 

 at Pollok, which is less than 100 feet above sea-level. Nothing 

 could be more vigorous than the 83 per cent, which survive, and 

 I have no hesitation in recommending the use of 2-year seed- 

 lings of this species. We have reluctantly decided to abandon 

 Scots pine altogether in the higher plantations, because the 

 snow is too much for its brittle wood. Sitka spruce seems 

 likely to give the best results on the turfs at high elevations 

 In a group planted in the spring of 1907 (with 2-year i-year 

 plants) I could only find two deaths, among the 424 plants 

 composing the group. We also hope for great things from the 

 Pyrenean Mountain pine, but it remains to be seen whether it 

 will keep its upright habit in Scotland. The intermediate 

 (German) variety of this pine has also been tried. This variety, 

 by the way, may be seen 50 years old at Balmoral, where it was 

 planted by the Prince Consort on a considerable scale. It 

 evidently has no value as a timber tree, though it attains a 

 greater height than the dwarf variety which is familiar in British 

 gardens. 



The method of planting above described is primarily intended 

 for the conversion of wet moorlands into forest, but there are 

 other cases in which it may be found useful. Mr Munro 

 Ferguson tells me that he has employed it at Novar, and is 

 employing it more every year. Where a good forest soil, clear 

 of weeds, has to be re-planted, it would be obviously out of place. 

 But where a plantation has to be made on grassy or weedy 

 ground, it is probably in the end the cheapest and surest 

 method, especially if it is desired to use small plants. On 

 ordinary soils it will be unnecessary to add imported soil or 

 manure ; the decayed vegetation below the turfs will provide 

 sufficient stimulant. If the ground does not require draining, 

 the turfs can simply be turned over where they are wanted. 



