82 transactions of royal scottish arboricultural society. 



Abies Menziesii at Keilour, Perthshire. 



A tree of this species which was blown down in a gale on the 

 20th December 1920, was one of the oldest (if not the oldest) 

 planted out in Scotland. Thomas Bishop, who was Land 

 Steward to Colonel Smythe of Methven (to whom Keilour then 

 belonged) says in his Notes on Plantation at Methven, under 

 date of 19th April 1834: "Added to the pinetum this day one 

 Pinus Menziesii 3 years old, got from Mr S. Murray, probably 

 the first that has yet been planted out in any Muir in Great 

 Britain." He notes that he measured it in 1848, when it was 

 18 ft. 6 ins. high, and 21 ins. in girth at the bottom. It was 

 measured again in 1883, by Peter Whitton, then gardener at 

 Methven, who notes that at i foot from the ground it was 

 6 feet in circumference, and at 5 feet up, 4 ft. 10 ins., and 

 that it was 65 feet high. 



Its measurements after it was blown down, taken by Mr Coupar, 

 Land Steward, Balgowan, are as follows: — Girth at ground, 

 21 feet; girth at 3 feet, 16 ft. 6 ins.; girth at 5 feet, 15 feet; 

 height, 103^ feet; total cubic contents, 468 cubic feet. All 

 these measurements were taken over bark. 



This tree is not mentioned in the Report of the Conifer 

 Conference of 189 1, where there are several mentioned that are 

 now probably larger, though none, so far as I can see, older. 



David M. Smythe. 



Will Thuya gigantea become a Timber of Value 

 FOR Commercial Purposes? 



The reason of this query is the outcome of a discussion I had 

 with my employer a few days ago on the merits of Thuya 

 gigantea, and on the question whether it is advisable to con- 

 tinue to plant it, as a forest tree, to any great extent. I have 

 under my charge several young plantations, consisting of a 

 mixture of larch. Thuya, and beech, the two last named to be left 

 as the permanent crop. These plantations range from six to 

 ten years of age, growing on a deep-red soil, which was arable 

 land previous to planting, and are sheltered on three sides, but 

 exposed to the north. All are in an exceedingly flourishing and 

 healthy condition, and are making a growth which one might 



