FELLING TIMBER TREES. 75 



matured on light soils and moderately exposed situations, and has 

 much less bulk than that grown in good soils and in sheltered 

 situations. 



Soils of the same class differ greatly ; they are, however, esti- 

 mated according to the proportion of clay, lime, humus, and sand, 

 in a given number of parts ; and are divided into seven or eight 

 classes, and subdivided into sixty different species ; but properly 

 speaking, soil consists of two parts, organic and inorganic matter, 

 the latter also consisting of two parts — the soluble and insoluble. 

 To distinguish soils they require to be analysed, but the experienced 

 eye knows pretty nearly by turning up the soil and examining it 

 and the surrounding herbage. 



Appended is a table giving an average of the age at which the 

 timber trees referred to cease to grow profitably on different soils 

 and situations. 



This table, however, is imperfect, and I believe that no definite 

 rule can be laid down. I have therefore given only the average 

 ages at which I found, during eighteen years' experience in the 

 management and manufacture of timber, the varieties men- 

 tioned coidd be most profitably felled in the different soils and 

 situations, considering the producer's interest. My data were 

 taken on the groiuid on which the timber grew, in eight counties, 

 and over forty estates, a list of which is given below : 



Aberdeen. — Auchry, Ballater, Blelack, Byth, Meldrum, Mid- 

 mar, Dunecht, Monymusk, and Delgaty Castle. 



Banff. — Auchlunkart, Auchanacie, Arndilly, and Rothiemay. 



Inverness. — Aigas, Aldourie, Belladrum, Beaufort, Dochfour, 

 Drumaglass, Erchless, Faraline, Foyers, Lentran, Newton, Rothie- 

 murchus, Castle Grant, Duthel, Abernethy. 



Moray and Nairn. — Altyre, Brodie, Cawdor, Darnaway, 

 Dumphail and Kilravock. 



Ross and Cromarty. — Ardross, Brahan, Conon, Coul, Balna- 

 gown, Culrossie, Highfield, Ord, Raddery, Flowerburn, Kilcoy, 

 Redcastle. 



Perth. — Abercairney and Ochtertyre. 



