CHAPTEE VII. 



PLANTING. 



The first, most extensive, and probably the best 

 example of larch planting in Scotland was that exe- 

 cuted upon the Duke of Athole's property in Athole 

 and Dunkeld forests. Without detailing the whole 

 operations, the following particulars will be found 

 interesting and instructive : — 



1. The plants used were principally two-year seed- 

 lings, and therefore comparatively small plants — small 

 at least compared with what are now generally planted 

 in similar undertakings. 



2. The distance between the plants was 55 to 6 

 feet, which gave them that amount of room requisite 

 for their full growth and healthy development, and 

 allowed each plant to make side branches at least three 

 feet in length before touching its neighbour on either 

 side. This also afforded the trees room for developing 

 their roots, it being a well-established fact that the 

 lower branches of trees and their roots extend much in 

 the same direction, and bear similar proportions. 



3. Xo other species of trees were mixed with the 

 principal larch plantations, consequently no interfer- 

 ence was made with the full and free development of 



