EXPERIMENTS IN PLANTING SAND-HILLS. 19 



II. Experiments in Planting Sand-hills. By James Hutton, 

 Forester, Moy. 



In 1869 I came to Moy as forester under the late Mr John 

 Sinclair, Inverness, then factor on the estates of Glenmoriston and 

 Moy. 



The estate of Moy is situated in the united parishes of Dyke 

 and Moy, and lies in the north-west part of Morayshire, between 

 the River Findhorn and the Moray Firth. It may be said to be 

 all under cultivation, the lands being amongst the richest in the 

 county. Between this and the sea is the barony of Culbin, or 

 Cowbin, formerly a separate estate, but united to Moy at the 

 succession of James Murray Grant, Esq. of Glenmoriston, in 

 1822. 



The property of Culbin, which extends nearly four miles along 

 the southern shore of the Moray Firth, comprises an area of about 

 3500 acres, of which 1700 acres are composed of a continuous range 

 of sand-hills, almost destitute of vegetation. The largest of these 

 sand-hills probably covers an area of from 80 to 120 acres, and 

 varies in height from 80 to 100 feet above the sea-level. The 

 sand is readily lifted by the wind, and the prevailing winds being 

 from the west, it drifts towards the east, where a portion is 

 annually lodged in the sea opposite the town of Findhorn. 



Some are of opinion that the sand is carried back by a westerly 

 tidal current, and thrown on the beach, thus making an endless 

 circuit of sand. During my residence, I have not seen the least 

 sign of the sand performing this circuitous voyage, but the opposite, 

 as I have observed that several acres have been cleared of these 

 sands within the last few years, which, I know, were before 

 covered with from 20 to 30 feet of sand in depth ; and the spaces 

 are now being rapidly covered with natural sown Scotch fir. The 

 hills have also been considerably flattened. About 50 to 60 yards 

 in width, at the west end of these hills, are being cleared annually ; 

 and the spring of 1874 being very stormy, even a greater change 

 took place than before. 



On the outer margin of the larger ones are smaller sand- 

 hills, ranging from 10 to 40 feet high, and these are partially 

 covered with bent, ArrvmophUa arundinacea, and sand sedge, Carex 

 arenaria. 



They probably cover an area of 1800 acres, of which 900 acres 



