33 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



reached much nearer to ^ the sea; though in the low- 

 lands of the shires of Aberdeen and Moray the chief 

 evidence of it now is in the peat mosses or bogs : in 

 these, however, it is abundant — so much so, that it 

 forms an article of commerce, not only in the villages 

 near which it is found, but in the city of Aberdeen. 

 The sapwood is altogether gone ; and, indeed, the 

 principal remains are roots ; but they contain a vast 

 quantity of turpentine : this renders them much 

 superior to any other wood for kindling fires ; and in 

 the country districts slips of them are used as a sub- 

 stitute for candles. 



Along the shores of the Moray Firth, no remains 

 of the forest are found above ground, on the slopes 

 of the mountains that are nearest to the sea ; but at 

 "what may be considered as the highest summit of the 

 Grampians, amidst the immense mountains of Cairn- 

 gorm, Brae Riach, and Ben-mhuic-dhu, there are 

 very extensive forests in the glens or valleys of the 

 rivers that flow northward to the Spey. The estate 

 of Rothiemurchus, in that part of Scotland, consists 

 almost exclusively of natural pine forests. In places 

 where it can be removed, the timber of this forest is 

 of great value, and forms the chief revenue of the 

 proprietor of the estate. The surface has, generally 

 speaking, a northern aspect ; and, in consequence of 

 the very high mountains which lie to the south, 

 with at least some part of their summits covered with 

 perpetual snow, the climate is very cold, so that the 

 pine of Rothiemurchus is full of turpentine, and is 

 of excellent quality. A considerable portion of the 

 pine which is in the most accessible places has been 

 cut down ; but, differing from many other parts of 

 Scotland, a succession springs up, and that forest 

 appears to have still the power of continuing itself, 

 and is, perhaps, the only pine forest in the island 

 which has that power. 



