THE ANNUAL EXCURSION. 73 



owned by Mr W. E. Nicol. The estate is very well wooded, 

 having over 4000 acres of woodland. The woods consist 

 largely of Scots pine which here also is very tall and well 

 grown and is of excellent quality (see Plate IV.). There are 

 woods of practically all ages. Mr Geo. VVyllie, who has had 

 charge of these woods for nearly half a century, has kindly 

 contributed the following notes on the visit: — 



" As arranged, I met the members at Potarch. On the 

 left-hand side of the Carlogie road, they could see a second 

 crop of Scots fir trees which were planted 28 years ago, and, 

 on the right-hand side of this road, on what is called the 

 Darn Haugh, they could see some fine Scots pine and larch 

 trees 90 years of age. Farther along this road we arrived at 

 Balnacraig. Here I pointed out a fine old ash tree 200 years 

 of age; its stem had a circumference of 15 ft. 8 ins. at 5 feet 

 from the ground. Also, on the Cap of Balnacraig, a second 

 crop of Scots pine and larch 7 years of age was pointed out, 

 where some of the trees had made shoots of 20 inches this 

 season. 



" When we left Balnacraig, we came along the Pitsluggerty 

 road until we arrived at Mr Robert Donaldson's sawmill, 

 where the company had the opportunity of seeing the trees 

 manufactured. We then examined the plantation of Scots fir, 

 on the north side of Pitsluggerty road. Here I explained to the 

 company that the trees were 28 years of age, and that this was 

 the second crop of Scots fir growing on the same ground. My 

 system was to commence planting as soon as I got the former 

 crop cleared. But before doing so I had the ground " scriefed " 

 — that is, a small portion of the surface (9 ins. x 12 ins.) is 

 taken off at the spots where the young plants are to be placed. 

 The plants used were Scots fir seedling twice transplanted, and 

 they were planted at 4 feet apart. The year after planting, I 

 had the ground examined and all failures made good. Nothing 

 further has been done to this plantation, as I believe in leaving 

 the Scots fir very much to thin themselves. 



" We come next to the Inchbare plantation. Here a crop of 

 Scots pine and larch was taken off this ground about 7 years 

 ago. The present plants are 4 years planted. They consist of 

 Scots fir, larch, Norway spruce, Douglasii and Menzies spruce. 

 The trees are all planted in groups and are making good growths. 



" In the old wood of Slidderybrae, which consists of Scots fir 



