70 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The stocking of the area has now been completed by planting 

 up gaps with seedlings raised from seed gathered from the old 

 trees. Outside of the enclosed area few young trees are to be 

 seen. The old trees are still producing fertile seed, a full crop 

 being produced every four or five years. 



Altogether Ballochbuie Forest is magnificent, and possesses a 

 character entirely different from that of most Scottish woods. Its 

 great age, the great size of its big trees, its vigour and vitality, 

 and the general expression of strength, all go to make it 

 distinctive. It is fortunate that it is being carefully preserved. 



Invercauld. — In the afternoon the forests of Invercauld, 

 which belong to Mr Farquharson, were visited. The 

 Invercauld woods are adjacent to the Ballochbuie Forest, 

 stretching to the north and to the west, forming part of the vast 

 block of woodlands clothing this part of the valley. They consist, 

 for the most part, of Scots pine though the specimens are con- 

 siderably younger than those of Ballochbuie. Here too the 

 Scots pine grows well at elevations up to 1400 or 1500 feet. 

 A considerable amount of planting has taken place in recent 

 years, and one noteworthy feature is the excellent growth of 

 the spruce in the few clumps where it has been planted. The 

 Invercauld woods extend to many thousands of acres, but the 

 party had time to inspect only those near at hand. The trees 

 near the house also afforded considerable interest. There are 

 many good specimen conifers, and also an interesting group 

 of Picea alba about 20 feet high. The party was under the 

 guidance of Mr Andrew Smith, factor for the estates. 



Returning from Invercauld, the party motored through 

 Braemar and through the finely wooded country past Mar Lodge 

 on to the Linn o' Dee. The members had thus a chance of seeing 

 something of the nature and extent of the woodlands in the 

 uppermost part of the valley. Special interest attaches to a very 

 extensive area of thriving larch stretching along the hillside 

 between Corriemulzie and Gley Ey, which attracted the atten- 

 tion of the party as it passed. The lowermost part of the wood 

 stands at an elevation of 1200 feet, and it rises to an elevation of 

 over 1800 feet. Even there the growth of the larch seems excellent, 

 and it is obvious that planting could be carried to considerably 

 higher elevation in this particular place. Between Inverey and 

 the Linn o' Dee there are many magnificent spruce trees of 

 great height. 



