PRIMITIVE WOODLAND AND PLANTATION TYPES IN SCOTLAND. 167 



quotation is one of some importance, because had this been a 

 common practice in the past, it would have led to the formation 

 of a modified type of oak " Urwald " in Scotland. Now primeval 

 oaks observed at Loch Goil, Achnacarry, Dalkeith Park, Cadzow 

 Park, and records of oaks in the Atholl woods, in the Lowther 

 valley and elsewhere, show few of the stems to be "clean" 

 beyond a height of 15 feet to 20 feet. It is also argued above, 

 that this practice produces timber suitable for naval architecture ; 

 but would not "pollard" shoots tend rather to grow straight? 

 Perhaps, as additional evidence in support of the view that the 

 trees were not " pollarded," one might take the fact that the 

 trees are decaying from the ground upwards, and not from the 

 forking point downwards, as would probably be the case in 

 " pollarded " trees. Also there is no " burring " observed at the 

 point where the tree forks, whereas in " pollarded " trees 

 " burring " usually occurs at this point. It is hoped that the 

 above reasons are sufficient to justify the exclusion of pollarding 

 as a modifying influence on our natural oak forests in Scotland. 



The ground-vegetation of virgin forest of this type is perhaps 

 one of the most distinctive features about it, and is observed to 

 be very similar to that already described for lowland birch 

 "Urwald." In spring, the special feature of such a woodland, 

 as seen at Lochwood, is the abundance of wood hyacinth {Scilla 

 nutans), which occurs in extensive sheets on the forest floor; 

 primrose {Primula vulgaris) flowers at this time, and is also 

 present in great abundance. Bracken {Fleris aquilina), Holcus 

 mollis and Antlioxanlhum odoratum complete the list of main 

 constituents of the carpet, while wood-sorrel {Oxalis acetosella), 

 wood violet ( Viola rivminna), and species of mosses may be 

 classed as sub-dominant. Poientilla tortnentilla, Stellaria media 

 and 6'. holostea, Luzula vernalis and Z. catnpesiris (var. conjesta), 

 Arcticum lappa, Rumex acetosa, Rubus idaus, Galium saxatile, 

 Conopodium detiudatufii, Polypodium vulgare, Vacciniuth myrtillus 

 and Lastrea dilitata were observed to occur occasionally. Of the 

 grasses in this flora Festuca ovina, Poa pratensis, Triticum repens 

 and Holcus lanatus are the chief. Where the oak woodland 

 vegetation merges into that of moor, marsh marigold {Caltha 

 palustris), horse-tail {Equisetum syivaticum), speed-well {Veronica 

 chamcedrys), Centaurea nigra, bog-bean {Menyanthes trifoliata), 

 bog-myrtle {Myrica gale) and lesser celandine {Ranunculus fie aria) 

 were obtained. 



