FORESTRY 37 
and form a fine background of wooded slopes which rise in the direction 
of ‘Dark Lochnagar.’ The old forest of Ballochbuie contains many 
grand and picturesque trees of the finest type of Scots pine. Their 
clean, straight, cylindrical stems of great girth contain timber of the 
highest quality. From the Ballochbuie forest, in earlier times, came 
many trees for shipbuilding and other purposes for which large-sized 
timber of the finest quality was required. 
On the Glentanar estate, the old forest of that name covers an extensive 
area, rising high on the slopes of the glen or the valley of the Tanar and 
its tributaries. Birkhall, Glenmuick and Abergeldie are also well- 
wooded properties. The policies and woods of Invercauld, on the left 
bank of the river, contain some fine examples of hardwoods and coniferous 
plantations. Natural woods of oak, birch, rowan, alder, aspen and others, 
so typical of many parts of.the valley and associated with artificial woods 
of pine and larch, on the Mar estate, continue tree growth from the Linn 
of Dee to the wooded part of the old primeval forest of Mar. 
A striking feature in many parts in the upper valley of the Dee is the 
high elevation at which good timber can be grown. The Kirktown of 
Braemar stands at an elevation of about 1,000 ft. above sea-level, but 
the timber line extends many hundred feet beyond that elevation. On 
the Mar estate good larch over 100 years old has been grown at 1,900 ft., 
which is far above the timber line for most of the country. 
For several miles above the picturesque Brig of Balgownie the river 
Don is flanked with finely wooded slopes, which terminate in the 
ornamental grounds of Seaton House. Among the wooded properties 
near Aberdeen, Parkhill is outstanding. On this estate, the luxuriant 
vigour and growth of the younger plantations, and the fine form and 
development of the older trees, bear testimony to the suitability of soil 
and climate and to the care and skill which has been given to their 
management. A more pastoral type of country intervenes until Kintore 
is reached, where woods and plantations again prevail. Among the 
more important wooded estates higher up the valley are Monymusk 
and Castle Forbes. In the extensive plantations of Monymusk the 
Scots pine, larch and spruce predominate. ‘The old Garden of Paradise 
contains a rich store of arboreal treasures. Along with the fine old 
larches, contemporaneous, it is said, with those planted at Dunkeld in 
1743, are fine specimens of pine, spruce, silver fir and yew, together with 
splendid individual trees of oak, beech, ash, elm, sycamore and other 
hardwoods. The Castle Forbes woodlands are extensive, thriving and 
well managed. On Kildrummy there are some extensive plantations 
of Scots pine and larch and Douglas fir of good quality. At Strathdon, 
the head of the valley, there are interesting woods and plantations on 
Castle Newe, Edinglassie and Candacraig. 
To the south of Aberdeen, the estates of Durris, Drumtochty, Fetter- 
cairn, Fetteresso and others bear eloquent testimony to what can be 
done successfully in this part of the country under good forestry 
Management. 
The celebrated forest of Glenmore surrounds Loch Morlich, which 
is the source of the Durie, a tributary of the Spey, which drains Rothie- 
