THE ANNUAL EXCURSION. 7I 



Wednesday, June 26th. 



Ballochbuie, Balmoral, Abergeldie, Birkhall. — The 

 party was again met by Mr Michie in the morning at the 

 Braemar end of the Balmoral estate, and, after passing through 

 the western portion of Ballochbuie, a halt was made at the foot 

 of Craig-deign in the eastern half of the forest. Craig-deign is a 

 hill of about 1800 feet elevation, and the top of it is thus beyond 

 the Scots fir " timber line " of the district. The effects of 

 elevation on the growth of the tree were clearly seen — 1500 feet 

 being again about the highest limit at which useful timber grew. 

 From the top of the hill some idea was obtained of the great 

 areas of forest in the neighbourhood. Practically all the 

 woodlands in view consisted of Scots pine, and most of it was 

 either old or middle-aged. 



The next area inspected was the large forest of natural timber 

 known as Garmaddie Wood. Mr Michie places the age of the 

 wood at from 100 to 130 years. It is certain that this wood, from 

 its extent and character, stands unrivalled in the kingdom. The 

 trees are all tall and exceedingly well grown, though the wood 

 lies between the elevation of 1000 and 1250 feet. The wood 

 is regular and the crop is full. In the thicker portions of 

 the wood the trees vary from 10 to 20 cub. feet, and in the 

 opener places where the individual trees have had more room 

 they vary from 20 to 50 cub. feet. 



The average crop amounts to considerably over 4000 cub. feet 

 (q.g.) to the acre. The wood is in a very well-kept and tidy 

 condition, and everywhere shows evidence of careful and skilful 

 management. This wood, like all the other woods on the Balmoral 

 estates, is intersected with an excellent system of well-made 

 roads, which make every part of it accessible and thus facilitates 

 management and control. Altogether the Garmaddie Wood is 

 a most pleasing object, a model Scots pine wood. The timber of 

 this and of the other woods, which was seen at the estate 

 sawmill, is excellent in quality. 



At Craig-gowan an entirely different aspect of forestry was 

 seen. Craig-gowan is a hill of some 1300 feet elevation rising 

 from the south side of the flat ground on which Balmoral Castle 

 stands. Up to 1883 the part in question, with a X. and N.E. 

 aspect, was covered with an irregular crop consisting mostly of 

 birch. In that year operations were started, and efforts were 

 made to secure a more complete cover of the ground without 



