Memoirs of the Caledonian Horticultural Society. 307 



mote their vigour and growth, after the third and fourth year 

 of their age ? 



" 2. Can instances be pointed out, to prove the advantage of 

 raising timber, by sowing seeds where the trees are to re- 

 main, in preference to planting the same extent of ground 

 with young trees, two or three years old, a year or two later, 

 seeing the practice of sowing muirs and waste lands with 

 seeds of the Scotch fir and larch has been long since at- 

 tempted in Scotland, but without the expected success ? 



" S. What proofs can be adduced to contradict the results of 

 experiments made in Dean Forest, and ordered to be printed 

 by the House of Commons in the year 1812, from which it 

 appears, that the transplanting of oak trees, in particular, was 

 followed by an excess of growth, far superior to that of others 

 which were never transplanted, the cases of both being per- 

 fectly similar ? 



" 4. Wherefore should not the transplanting of trees, or 

 stopping of the taproot at a proper age, encourage more the 

 growth of roots in a horizontal direction, which have always 

 a freer range to procure nourishment, and are more likely to 

 be benefited by the influence of the sun and rains, than those 

 which strike perpendicularly into a sterile subsoil, and which 

 are the soonest broken by violent winds, when the tree attains 

 much height, as is very observable in larch, and fir trees blown 

 over, and which in many cases occasions the rot in such trees, 

 which begins in the root, and proceeds upwards ? " 



The Council (April 5th, 1827) recommend these queries 

 as the subjects of communications founded on experience, 

 for which medals will be awarded, according to the merits of 

 such reports. 



10. Account of a simple and effectual Method of destroying the 

 Scaly Insect. By Mr. W. Beattie, C.M.H.S., Gardener to the 

 Earl of Mansfield at Scone. 



Mr. Beattie found that neither chamber-lie, nor soap-suds 

 with the addition of soda, nor Mr. Scougall's clay paint, would 

 destroy these insects ; but he thought of trying boiling water, 

 which he found an effectual remedy. On a mild day in 

 February, a Green Gage plum tree was unnailed from the wall, 

 and with a painter's soft brush washed all over with boiling 

 water, at least as nearly to boiling as it could be carried a 

 short distance in a small water-pot. No injury was found to 

 be done to the tree, while the scaly insect was entirely de- 

 stroyed. The following winter, the whole of the trees infested 

 were treated in a similar manner, and the insect completely 



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