184 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



tree, which is a product of the locality, and, so far as can 

 be seen at present, one of the most valuable of the recent 

 additions to our forest flora. The prize plantation in Class V. 

 was 12 years of age and extended to 50 acres. The soil 

 consists of sand above gravel, and the elevation is 250 feet. 

 The plantation originally consisted of hybrid larch and 

 Douglas fir, in the proportion of three of the former to one 

 of the latter, but it is now practically pure hybrid larch 

 averaging 45-50 feet in height and 14-24 inches in girth. 



On the Tullichewan Estate many fine specimens of both 

 hardwood and coniferous trees can be seen. The prize planta- 

 tion in Class I. was 7-9 years old and extended to 26;^ acres. 

 The soil is a loam with a sub-soil of a stiff clayey nature. The 

 plantation was made up of Douglas fir, i| acres; Japanese 

 larch, 7 acres; Scots pine, 6 acres; and about ii| acres of 

 spruce, larch, and Scots pine in mixture. The plants used 

 were 2 years old, notched in at the rate of 2700 per acre. 

 A certain amount of thinning out had been necessary during 

 the year 1920-21. 



It was generally apparent that the tendency in most places 

 was to increase the planting distance, especially so far as the 

 more rapidly growing conifers were concerned. 



It is very difficult to draw up an all-round satisfactory 

 basis of classification for plantations. No matter how we may 

 attempt to group them into kinds and age-classes, there are 

 always sure to be plantations of outstanding merit with special 

 characteristics of their own. The Judges can award only one 

 medal in each class, but under Rule 3 in these competitions 

 they are empowered to award a bronze medal for those subjects 

 which are high above the average standard of merit. The 

 bronze medal awarded in the case of the Balliliesk plantation 

 of Scots pine, Menzies spruce, and European larch — a well- 

 formed plantation of 8 years' growth extending to 7 acres on 

 a hard gravel soil at 700 feet elevation — should be taken as 

 an index that, in the opinion of the Judges, this plantation came 

 very near the standard of the prize-winner of its class. 



J. M. Murray. 



A. W. BORTHVI^ICK. 



