216(3 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III 



age, and girting from 6 ft. to 1 2 ft. at 1 ft. from the ground, consisting of 

 excellent timber, with the sap wood varying from 1 in. to 2f in. in thickness. 

 The river Dulnain ornaments these glens, floats the timber, and impels saw 

 machinery. 



Rothiemurchus Forest is the property of Sir John Peter Grant. The sur- 

 face is irregular, the hollows for the most part marshy, and the soil and sub- 

 soil of the elevated portions dry and sandy. The old trees are chiefly cut down, 

 but many patches still remain. The pines are not so remarkable for their girt, 

 as for their extraordinarily tall and smooth trunks. Mr. Grigor found trees mea- 

 suring, at 6 ft. high, 4 ft. 6 in. in circumference, with a trunk continuing nearly 

 of the same girt to the height of about 35 ft. The average height of the 

 trees he found about 70 ft., and their age from 120 to 125 years. The trees 

 stand so closely, that the surface of the ground, within the masses, is almost 

 destitute of herbage ; and the largest trees are uniformly found on the out- 

 skirts. The progress of young trees in this forest appears to be at the rate of 

 9 ft. 6 in. in 15 years. 



Glenmore Forest, the property of His Grace the Duke of Richmond, is 

 situated in a glen surrounding a lake. The surface soil is a thin sandy peat ; 

 and the subsoil a rich brown clay, which feels quite soft to the touch. The 

 trees grow slowly till they are at the age of 12 years, which Mr. Grigor con- 

 jectures to be owing to their roots not penetrating earlier into the rich sub- 

 soil. The average rate of growth of young trees, in 10 years, is 5ft. Gin. 

 There are few old trees remaining ; the greater part having been felled and 

 carried away by Mr. Osbourne (see p. 2161.), who completed his contract in 

 1804. Some scattered trees are yet standing at great distances, which are 

 very picturesque in appearance, with trunks measuring from 9 ft. to 10 ft. in 

 circumference ; but knotty, with bushy heads, and of no value as timber, 

 having evidently been left on that account. 



Plantations at Castle Grant. In addition to the natural forests, Mr. Grigor 

 notices the plantations on the estate of Castle Grant, where the Scotch pine 

 has made extraordinary progress ; trees, apparently still young, having trunks 

 9ft. 6 in. in circumference, and being from 60ft. to 70ft. high. These trees 

 stand on a surface of rich black earth, on a subsoil of gravelly sand ; but, un- 

 fortunately, Mr. Grigor had not an opportunity of ascertaining their age, so 

 as to calculate their rate of growth. 



" The Soil in the Highland Forests" Mr. Grigor observes, " is found of very 

 different qualities, which, in some measure, regulates the quality of the timber. 

 The richest ground produces the largest trees, consequently, the timber is not 

 so fine in the grain as that grown on sand or poor gravel ; but the quick- 

 grown trees appear as full of resin, as healthy, stand to as great an age, and 

 are as red when cut up, as those which grow on poor soil. In general, the soil 

 of the native Highland forests is superior to that on which firs are commonly 

 planted throughout the low country. Neither poor soil nor bad climate can 

 account for the superiority of the Highland pine, as the forests are generally 

 situated in glens, or in the most sheltered slopes of the hills. Natural birch 

 and alder are frequently met with in these forests, but none are large or 

 valuable ; the latter not being confined, as might be supposed, to the lowest 

 grounds, but frequently found at considerable heights on the hills. It is 

 very rare to see any other trees in the vicinity of these forests ; but I ob- 

 served an ash standing alone, and much exposed, on the western extremity of 

 the parish of Inverallen, and on the north of the Spey, opposite Abernethy. 

 Perhaps another hardwood tree is not to be found within a mile of this one. 

 At 1 ft. from the surface, it measures 20ft. 9 in. in circumference; at the 

 height of 8 ft., it measures 14ft. 10 in.; at the height of 13ft., it is divided 

 into five limbs ; and its whole height is about 60 ft., several of its large branches 

 having been blown down. The trunk is hollow in the centre, but its leaves 

 have a healthy appearance. The surface of the ground where it stands is 

 rendered fertile from its decayed foliage, and by the tree affording a shelter 

 for sheep, which pasture on the surrounding heath. The subsoil is of a sandy 



