47 



CHAPTEE VI. 



SUCCESSIVE CROPPING WITH SCOTCH FIR 



(PINUS SYLVESTRIS). 



MR WILLIAM M'CORQUODALE makes the following 

 statement of his experience, which I prefer giving 

 from his pen rather than my own, as his authority on 

 this subject stands high : 



"In 1843 we finished the cutting of an old Scots 

 fir plantation, extending to about 100 acres. Early 

 in spring I got a hundred Scots firs planted in it, 

 fifty of which were slitted into the ground, and the 

 other fifty carefully pitted, breaking the surface well 

 into the bottom of the pit, and the stiff clay taken 

 from the bottom filled in last upon the top, when it 

 was smoothed over with the back of the spade, to 

 prevent the beetle lodging about the rough surface. 

 This was done one year, before the ground was pre- 

 pared for planting, with the view of ascertaining which 

 would be the most advantageous method of planting 

 the whole ground the ensuing year. 



" Upon examining the above plants the following 

 autumn, along with rny employer, he saw at once the 

 propriety of planting it wholly by pitting. Those of 

 the plants which had been slitted into the ground 

 were entirely destroyed by the beetle ; whereas the 



