5© TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of demand should determine whether to plant Douglas fir in 

 preference to other conifers, but I think a profitable crop of 

 Douglas may be looked for even when planted on sandy soils. 



5. Peaty soils. — It is too early to judge of the results in 

 the young plantation on the estate, but this year, as an 

 experiment, I have planted a group, partly on peaty soil of 

 considerable depth, and partly on an adjoining gravelly bank. 

 It will be well sheltered from the prevailing wind, although 

 placed in rather a frosty locality. 



6. Gravelly soils. — These, from my experience, seem to be the 

 most unsuitable for the growth of Douglas fir, although if the 

 position were well sheltered and the trees planted pure, they 

 might give rather better results than those I have seen. 



7. Situation. — As to situation, the Douglas is very exacting. 

 It is almost imperative that the tree should be well sheltered, as 

 it suffers greatly at all stages from gales, and also from frost in 

 the earlier years. 



In frosty localities, I think that any natural growth of birch or 

 hazel might well be left as a slight protection till the trees have 

 grown sufficiently to be out of danger. Indeed, in the absence 

 of natural growth, it would be advisable to mix a few birch in 

 the plantation ; but care must be taken to prevent the birch 

 twigs from lashing the tender young shoots of the Douglas fir. 

 Warm, well-sheltered hollows above the frost-line are the best 

 places to plant this species, and the trees should even then be 

 planted late, so as to avoid late spring frosts as far as possible ; 

 The end of April or the beginning of May seems to be the best 

 time for planting them. 



I have a strong belief in the possibilities of underplanting 

 with Douglas fir, more especially where the overcrop is not 

 too dense, for instance when leaving a thin crop of oak for a 

 second rotation. 



A mixed oak and larch plantation in Montgomeryshire was 

 doing very badly. The larches were very badly diseased and 

 the soil was unsuited to them. The oaks were mostly very 

 branchy. I cut out all the larches and the worst of the oaks, 

 leaving only the cleanest and best of the stems, about 45 to 50 

 to the acre. 



My scheme, which was to underplant these with Douglas fir, 

 is being carried out by the present forester, and I am anxious 

 to hear of the success of the experiment. The oaks were 



