71 



*• Head of tlie River Dee, are so excel- 

 *' lent in quality, as not to be surpassed 

 " by any Fir Timber in the world," and 

 adds, " he has seen some of it, which 

 " after it had been 300 years in the Roof 

 " of an old Castle, was as fresh and full 

 *' of sap, as new imported from Memel," 

 and " that part of it was actually wrought 

 " up into new furniture/' 



From the above, one would be led to 

 suppose, the Timber so " excellent in 

 " quality,'' grew only in situations equal- 

 ly EXPOSED and elevated; as the 

 lands in question are said to be the high- 

 est in Scotland ; and consequently, that 

 such places only could produce good 

 Fir Timber : but this, I am well as- 

 sured, is not the case, as a communi- 

 cation, (for which I have to thank that 

 enlightened Planter, Sir Archibald Grant, 

 of Monymusk,) puts the matter into a 

 different light. He says, " — In the higli- 

 " er parts of this county, (Aberdeen- 



