WATEK CATCHMENT AKEAS 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. Eeid, in Proc. Inst. Civil Engineers, vol. 194, 



