VALUE AS A CROP. 1 79 



ground, 8 feet 2 inches. I have never seen anywhere 

 an equal number of trees so tall, straight, and well 

 grown all in one place, nor has any one to whom I 

 have shown them, and many have come from afar to 

 see the sight." He also says : " The last sale we had of 

 the thinnings of a mixed plantation forty- five years 

 old was in i 877, at which sale the larch brought from 

 7s. 6d. to 20s. each, and the Scotch pine only is. 6d. 

 to 3s. I consider larch to be the most profitable crop 

 that can be planted, where the soil is suitable, not- 

 withstanding a few, or even many trees, are attacked 

 with blister or aphis at one or other of their stages of 

 growth." 



On the estates of the Earl of Airlie there are to be 

 seen some very fine forests of larch about sixty years 

 old, and also on the estate of Banff (Sir James Eamsay, 

 Bart.) some fine forests, although of late a great extent 

 has been cut on all the districts. 



"In 1863, 1864, and 1865," says Mr. T. Wilkie, 

 " I manufactured 272 acres of wood, growing at alti- 

 tudes ranging from 350 to 700 feet, the crop of which 

 consisted of larch and Scotch fir. The total cost of 

 this lot was ^7000. The larch were valued at 15s. 

 per tree over all ; while various valuations were put 

 upon the Scotch fir, according to size. The larch then 

 sold at IS. lod. for the first class, and from is. 8d. to 

 IS. 6d. per cubic foot delivered, for the second and third 

 qualities. Several trees in this lot reached 100 feet in 

 height, and measured from 50 to 95 cubic feet, the 

 latter being consequently sold for about £'] per tree." 



