REPORT OF THE ANNUAL EXCURSION. 7 1 



there are now 1500 acres under trees. The whole Catchment 

 area of 11,000 acres is owned by the Corporation, and the 

 woods lie on both of the steep sides of the narrow valley 

 in which the lake lies, being much exposed to very strong 

 north and south winds. They are found between 600 and 

 1200 ft., on a soil which is mostly a loam derived from volcanic 

 rocks of the Borrowdale Series, but varies from a deep sandy 

 loam to a peaty sand over shingle. The west side is the 

 better in every way, and here good hardwoods are found at 

 the foot of the slopes, but they cannot be used near the lake 

 owing to leaves falling into the water which would encourage 

 algae and necessitate careful filtering. Otherwise various conifers 

 are used and growth is very rapid when once established, for 

 which no doubt the very high rainfall, averaging 90 ins. per 

 annum, and sometimes reaching 137 ins., is in a great measure 

 responsible. On rocky screes where planting is impossible 

 seed is scattered, and ash has been found to produce the most 

 successful results. The main objects of the woods are stated 

 to be (i) production of timber, (2) conservation of water-supply, 

 (3) prevention of landslides and wash-outs, (4) improvement of 

 surrounding scenery; but on hearing of the tremendous land- 

 slides that have occurred here in quite recent times it seems 

 that the woods would be fully justified if for no other purpose 

 than protection, though at the same time it is quite evident 

 that they are also carrying out the other objects in a most 

 satisfactory manner. 



The first plantation inspected consisted originally of larch, 

 planted about 1886 in an exposed position at 700 to 1000 ft. 

 elevation. This was attacked for some years by larch 

 saw-fly and also badly cankered, so was cleaned up and 

 thinned heavily in 19 10, the worst parts being clear felled 

 and replanted with Douglas, Sitka, Scots pine, and spruce, 

 and the better parts underplanted with Scots pine and silver fir 

 {A. pectinatd). The underplanted larch had greatly improved, 

 and the other species were showing good growth except the 

 silver fir, which was suffering badly from aphis. A little further 

 on, at the Swirls Plantation, the Douglas were doing particularly 

 well, being over 30 ft. high, but in places they had been over- 

 whelmed by snow owing to too close planting, and interplanting 

 with mountain pine was recommended as a good snow-break. 

 From this point a good view of the opposite (west) side of the 



