74 



AFFORESTATION IX SCOTI-AND. 



14,775 acres, and varying up to 140 years of age, consist mainly 

 of larch and Scots pine, sometimes pure, sometimes mixed ; 

 while spruce also occurs here and there, either in pure patches 

 or interspersed occasionally among the pine and larch. The 

 details obtained regarding all these conifer crops will be found 

 in Chapter VIII., as to their age, composition, average 

 number of stems, and average cubic contents per acre. Their 

 general character may perhaps be sufficiently indicated by 

 summarising the details for the Aldourie estate : — 



As already remarked, steady markets being already secured 

 for the produce from these conifer woods, their exploitation will 

 not provide additio7ial employment for the local population, 

 though it is expected that the new crops to be grown on the land 

 when these mature and are cleared will be considerably larger, 

 and will, therefore, in course of time, give larger employment in 

 felling and logging, hauling and carting, sawing and converting, 

 and transport and distribution. There should then be a larger 

 out-turn per acre than at present both for pitwood of the usual 

 dimensions (3, 5 and 7 inches top-diameter, up to 8 and 9 

 inches at the butt), and for the larger stem-pieces sawn into 

 boarding for boxes, sarking, etc. 



V. If .\f.w and (;rkatlv e.vtknded Conifer Plantations 

 BE formed in accordance with this afforestation scheme, the 

 present small estate mills will have to be enlarged, or a large 

 central sawmill may be erected at Fort Augustus, together with 

 a creosoting plant, a bobbin-mill, and other works, all of which 

 must both directly and indirectly add greatly to the amount of 



