PRIMITIVE WOODLAND AND PLANTATION TYPES IN SCOTLAND. I 55 



and Heriot Water in Midlothian ; Lochwood and Auchenskew 

 in Dumfriesshire. The other part of the area is confined to the 

 Highlands, and extends roughly from Loch Long north to Fort 

 William, and east to include Strathspey and Deeside. Here the 

 stations selected were Loch Long and Loch Goil in Argyllshire ; 

 Glen Lui and Ballochbuie in Aberdeenshire ; Rothiemurchus, 

 Abernethy, Glenmore, Loch Ossian, Loch Arkaig and Loch 

 Laggan in Inverness-shire. In addition, observations were made 

 on several plantations, as distinct from " Urwald," at Penicuik in 

 Midlothian ; Carolside and Mellerstain in Berwickshire ; Haystoun 

 in Peebleshire ; Achnacarry in Inverness-shire. As far as possible, 

 these latter were taken in the same locality as the respective 

 "^ Urwald " types with which they are compared. Where 

 authentic records of the woodlands were available, both in the 

 case of primitive forest and of plantations, these were referred to. 



My observations on the primitive woodlands of this area 

 indicate that three main types are represented, namely : (i) pure 

 birch woodlands ; (2) pure Scots pine woodlands ; (3) pure oak 

 woodlands. Although alder {Alnus gluttnosa) occurs in several 

 places over the area, in no part was it observed to be in sufficient 

 abundance to form a definite woodland association. 



At this point, it may not be out of place to define, in more or 

 less general terms, what exactly is understood here by "primitive 

 woodland" or "Urwald." The meaning intended to be 

 conveyed by this term is not necessarily an association of trees 

 that has reached a great age, but one whose formation and after- 

 treatment has been left entirely to nature. Apart from tradition 

 and historical record, the distinguishing features of " Urwald " 

 may, from observation, be taken as follows : inaccessible position 

 and irregular shape of the wood ; sparseness and irregularity of 

 stocking ; abnormally large crown and diameter development ; 

 small height development ; marked unevenness of age of the 

 stock; and a typical woodland fiora, which varies with the species 

 composing the primitive forest. 



Birch " Urwald." 



Of the three species mentioned as forming primitive wood- 

 lands, birch covers the largest area, and has also the widest 

 altitudinal range on this area. It was observed to extend 

 practically from sea-level to elevations of about 2000 feet, and is 

 reported to ascend in some parts of Scotland to 2300 feet. It 



