124 THINNING. 



time. Such, however, are very exceptional cases, and 

 of limited extent, and therefore do not affect the gen- 

 eral principle. Upon such patches I have seen the 

 crop of trees not exceeding 2 feet apart, and from 30 

 to 40 feet high, and 3 to 4 inches in diameter, beau- 

 tiful clean poles, and useful in their way, but for which 

 there was little demand, and consequently no remu- 

 nerative prices obtainable for such close-grown wood. 



I have found groups of several acres in extent of 

 natural Scots pine and birch forest, and also patches 

 of alder, wherein the sound of the woodman's axe was 

 never heard, which in point of value, acre for acre, 

 considerably exceeds any plantation I have ever seen. 

 Some of the best portions of natural forest in Scot- 

 land to which I refer are, or were, upon the Eothie- 

 murchus, Glenmore, Duthil, Abernethy, and Castle 

 Grant estates, in Strathspey, Moray and Inverness- 

 shires, and on Invercauld and Balmoral estates on 

 Deeside, Aberdeenshire. 



It may with propriety be asked, why the natural 

 forests are often more valuable than plantations of 

 artificial culture, and if all the aid rendered by man 

 does not lower instead of elevate their condition ? 



In the first place, it must be observed that natural 

 forests grow only in such soils and situations as are 

 truly congenial to their natures, and will not even 

 germinate in adverse soils ; hence nature, having the 

 choice of conditions favourable to successful growth, 

 seldom errs, which man is liable to do, and frequently 

 does. In the vegetable as in the animal economy, 

 the strong, healthy, and vigorous take advantage of, 

 subjugate, and devour the weak. 



For example, we find upon an acre of ground say 

 800 plants of nearly one age and size, from 1 to 2 



