WATER CATCHMENT AREAS IN SCOTLAND 267 
There is no arable land on the area, which is mostly hill 
grazing. In 1912 there were 27 acres of young plantations, 
but no mature woods. Mr. W. A. P. Tait, who published 
in Proc. Inst. Civil Engineers, vol. 167, pp. 102-152 (1907), 
an account of the Talla water supply with map and dia- 
grams, states that “practically the whole gathering ground, 
which is mainly hill pasture, with about 440 acres of peat, 
was acquired at a cost of £36,000 by the Trustees, who are 
thus enabled to preserve the purity of the water draining 
into the reservoir. The Trustees derive a rent of a little 
more than £300 per annum for the hill pasture above the 
level of the reservoir.” The average annual rainfall on the 
area varies from 47°66 to 73°92 inches at the different 
stations. 
Mr. Stebbing of the Edinburgh University, who drew up 
a planting scheme in 1912, is of opinion that 600 acres of 
the whole area are available for planting, the upper limit 
extending on exposed hillsides to the 1250 feet contour 
line, and in sheltered glens to about 1400 feet. Planting 
was begun in 1914 (Fig. 16), the plan providing for 10 
acres annually for the first three years, and 50 acres yearly 
afterwards. As none of the plantable land is situated at a 
lower elevation than 950 feet, the number of species available 
is very limited. Scots pine is considered to be inadvisable. 
Larch is recommended for the lower elevations, and Sitka 
spruce for the higher ground above the larch up to 1250 
feet contour line; while Douglas fir could be planted 
wherever there was good soil in sheltered situations in 
the glens. In moist localities common spruce would be 
used in place of the other species. 
The Development Commissioners sanctioned in 1913— 
1914 a loan of £150 for the experimental planting of 
about 30 acres on the Talla catchment area. Of this only 
£75 has apparently been advanced by the Treasury. The 
larger scheme by which the Edinburgh and District Water 
Trust were to be provided with funds for planting at least 
600 acres appears to be in abeyance. 
W. C. Reid, in Proc. Inst. Civil Engineers, vol. 194, 
