EXCURSION TO THE LOVAT ESTATES. 205 



30. The Northern Branch of the Royal Scottish 

 Arboricultural Society. 



Visit to the Lovat Estates. 



The Members of the Northern Branch of the Scottish Arbori- 

 cultural Society held their first excursion, which was to the Lovat 

 Estates, on Saturday, 13th July 1907. The party, numbering about 

 forty, were met on arrival at Beauly by Mr J. T. Garrioch, on 

 behalf of Lord Lovat, and Mr Gilbert Brown, forester on the 

 Lovat Estates. Maps and notes concerning the origin and future 

 management of the woods to be visited were handed to each of 

 the party. 



Balblair Wood was first visited. This wood, extending to about 

 130 acres, owes its existence entirely to natural regeneration. 

 Within its area 104 acres have trees about 55 years of age, while 

 26 acres carry trees of about 35 years of age. It was agreed 

 that Balblair Wood was one of the best examples of natural 

 regeneration in this country. From Balblair the party drove 

 to Beaufort Castle, where they were entertained to luncheon 

 by Lord Lovat. 



The party then inspected other woods. In Lonbuie Wood, the 

 matured timber was cut in 1902, and the replanted area amounts 

 to about 19 acres. As the condition of the soil differs in certain 

 parts, four different species have been planted, namely, larch, 

 spruce, Scots fir, and some Douglas firs. The nursery contains 

 4 acres, where the young plants are reared from seeds sown. 

 Great interest was taken in the nursery, the fine condition of the 

 beds and young plants being specially admired. Sawmill Wood 

 extends to i acre, one-fourth of which was planted in 1898 

 with Japanese larch and spruce, alternately, 4 feet apart, the 

 remaining three-fourths being planted in 1900 with Douglas fir. 

 The strip (especially the Japanese larch) was greatly admired, 

 these trees being in most cases about 25 feet high. Alder, 

 extending to 20 acres, is being used for the experimental plots. A 

 great many of these plots are made up of larch planted in different 

 ways, some pure, others mixed with beech and sycamore, the 

 idea being to note exactly if there is any difference in the 

 incidence of disease on the larch planted under different systems. 

 Dunballoch and Cononbank Woods extend to 120 and 130 

 acres respectively. The former was planted with Scots fir twenty 



