66 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The party now returned to the charabancs and obtained a 

 magnificent view of the fell just inspected while driving to the 

 Hill nursery, where Mr Harris most generously provided lunch. 

 On the motion of Mr Whitton Mr Harris was accorded a hearty 

 vote of thanks, with musical honours, for his kindly hospitality. 



After lunch the party visited a small nursery and then passed 

 on to Fairbank plantation of 24 acres, which originally consisted 

 of oak and hazel coppice and was felled in 1908, all except a 

 shelter strip on the top of the slope. The felled area was not 

 replanted till 191 5, by which time it had run wild and expensive 

 cleaning operations had to be undertaken to clear out the 

 coppice, though a certain amount was left as shelter from frost. 

 The area is now well stocked with pure groups of larch, Sitka 

 spruce, Douglas and Scots pine, all growing very rapidly, and 

 also some Tsuga Albertiajia which is keeping up with the Sitka 

 and standing the wind better than the top-heavy Douglas. A 

 walk through the remaining strip of hardwoods on the top 

 of the slope concluded the inspection of an estate which all 

 agreed was carrying on as enlightened and energetic a scheme 

 of afforestation as is to be found in the country. 



Greystoke. 



The charabancs being rejoined the party was then conveyed 

 to Greystoke, where the members were met by Lady Mabel 

 Howard and her agent Mr Smith Hill. 



The latter had taken much trouble in searching past records 

 of forestry on the estate, and had prepared copious and most 

 interesting notes for the occasion of the Society's visit. He first 

 of all gave a general idea of the estate, mentioning that the 

 geological formation was Carboniferous Limestone with the 

 soil derived from it, and in parts clay soil derived from glacial 

 drift, and though there was not time to see them he referred to 

 the woods planted to commemorate the birth of members of the 

 Howard family (1857-1860), and various interesting public 

 events from the American Declaration of Independence to the 

 threatened abolition of the House of Lords in 1910— an ingenious 

 scheme for marking annual or periodic planting. The first 

 wood visited was Caldew, 21^ acres in extent, on limestone 

 outcrops, planted partly in 1901 and in 1890, with mostly larch, 

 also ash, oak, and a few sycamore, Scots pine, and spruce 

 all 4 ft. apart. This wood was thinned in 1917-21 and 



