OF THE MACKINTOSH ESTATE IN BRAE LOCHABER. 239 



Scotch Fir and Larch Plantation. — This is situated about half 

 a mile from the old larch trees just described. It is a small 

 plantation of seven acres planted in the spring of 1855 on the 

 flat of the lowest terrace. The soil is of a clayey sandy nature, 

 and is damp and cold. The larches interspersed through this 

 plantation have grown well. The tallest is 46 feet in height ; the 

 tallest Scotch fir is 38 feet in height. 



Muirlaggan Plantation. — This is situated two and a half miles 

 to the east of that last mentioned, and is about 30 acres in extent. 

 The plantation was formed in the spring of 1870 on the slopes of 

 the second and highest terraces, and ranges from 462 to 670 feet 

 above the sea. The larches planted on the highest terrace are not 

 thriving so well, but the Scotch firs grow luxuriantly at that 

 elevation. I have seldom seen a finer and healthier plantation 

 than this. These trees are now seven years of age. The tallest 

 larches are 20 feet in height, and the tallest Scotch fir 13 feet. 

 The plantation was thinned out in 1877, and the young larches 

 were sold for stob fencing purposes. It has a southern exposure 

 and grows on a steep hill-side. 



Glenspean Plantations. — In two other plantations of Scotch fir 

 and larch of more recent date, having an extent of about 30 acres, 

 some larches have an annual growth of about 3 feet, and Scotch 

 firs from 18 to 24 inches. These plantations range from 440 to 

 600 feet above the sea, and have a southern exposure. 



Scotch Fir Enclosures. — The extent is about 90 acres. The 

 earliest was planted in 1871, and the others a year or two after. 

 These plantations were made in soil supposed to be unfavourable 

 to the growth of larch, and owing to the inequality of the soil, 

 some of the plants are making good progress, while others are not. 

 All planted on knolls are growing well. Preparations are being 

 made for additional plantations of Scotch fir and larch on a larger 

 scale. This season the Scotch fir plantations have been affected 

 for the first time by a caterpillar (Tenthredo pini), the laiwa of 

 the well-known pine saw-fly, and a beetle (Hylurgus piniperda). 

 The caterpillar destroys the foliage of the preceding year's growth ; 

 it begins at the top of such growth and eats downwards, leaving 

 the current year's growth untouched, and with this exception the 

 tree is often rendered leafless. It also pierces the bark and sucks 

 the sap from the tree. It attacks the plantations only in certain 

 places and commences its ravages in June or July. 



The beetle attacks the pith of the young shoots, which in a few 



