FOREST TREES. 6t 



greater or lefs degree. In low filiations, where 

 the foil is deep and moid, it grows rapidly, and 

 attains to a great fize ; but, in fuch places, it is 

 found to decay fooner than it does in a more ele- 

 vated fituation, with a drier foil. In light foils 

 of little depth, it grows flowly, but firm in tex- 

 ture ; and the timber, though fmaller in fize, ac- 

 quires a ftate of maturity fooner than that grown 

 on more cool and retentive foils. In deep, cool 

 fand, it will root firmly, and arrive at a great 

 fize. In clay, incumbent on till, to which all 

 other trees, excepting the beech and the fyca- 

 more, have an averfion, the Oak will grow and 

 produce ufeful timber. 



Comparatively fpeaking, there are now no large 

 oak trees in Scotland, though there have former- 

 ly been very many. The recent fcarcity and high 

 price of oak timber, and the uncommonly high 

 prices given for the bark, have very much tend- 

 ed to leffen the numbers of full grown trees. 

 The largeft and fineft oak trees in Scotland are 

 to be found at Dunkeld, Alva, Buchanan, Inve- 

 rary, Hamilton, Melville Caftle, and Dalkeith ; 

 but they cannot once be compared with thofe 

 of Caftle Howard, Welbeck, * and Dunham- 

 mafiey, in England. 



THE 



* We shall here note the dimensions of several oaks at 

 Welbeck, as stated in a pamphlet, with drawings of the 

 trees, by Hayman Rooke esq. F. S. A. 



The 



