830 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



species in England, and which I attribute to the unripeness of their sappy leaders 

 before winter. 



In 1904 the Earl of Ducie showed me a plantation of Douglas fir on a steep 

 bank called Ironmill Wood near Tortworth, which, though of insufficient area to 

 give the best results, is a good illustration of the growth of this tree on sand- 

 stone (Plate 231). The plantation was made in 1868, and was therefore thirty-six 

 years old when I saw it. The area, as measured by Mr. Harle, agent to Lord 

 Ducie, was i acre 28 perches ; the number of trees standing was 238 ; their average 

 height was about 80 feet; and their average cubic contents I estimated at slightly 

 over 20 feet, making a total of about 5000 feet per acre. Mr. A. P. Grenfell, who 

 visited the same place in the same year, made a more careful estimate based on the 

 measurements of the trees standing on ^jj of an acre, and came to the conclusion 

 that the total volume, with allowance for bark, was 5250 feet, which gives an annual 

 average increase of 1 50 cubic feet per acre, no allowance being made for thinnings. 



Mr. G. F. Luttrell of Dunster Castle, Somersetshire, showed me, in August 

 1906, a plantation of Douglas fir which he made in 1880 on a piece of waste land, 

 which was growing only furze, on gravelly soil close to the rock, which is on the Old 

 Red Sandstone formation. In the following December he had this carefully 

 measured, with the following result : — Broom Ball Wood, area 3 roods lo perches, 

 planted entirely with Douglas fir at about 10 feet apart. Number of trees now 

 standing, 264. Total contents, allowing half an inch for bark, 2491 cubic feet. Of 

 these, 158 trees contain less than 10 cubic feet each, and only 7 contain above 20 

 cubic feet, the largest tree measuring 42 feet timber length and 10 inches quarter- 

 girth, equal to a volume of 29 cubic feet. The actual height of the tallest was 73 

 feet, of the shortest 48 feet. 



The trees are valued as timber by Mr. Luttrell's forester at 6d. a foot, which 

 amounts on the estimated quantity to ^^62 : 6s., equal to ^^76 : 13 : 6 per acre. 

 Deducting from this sum, the expenses of planting and fencing, £6 an acre in 1880, 

 equivalent in 1906, at 4 per cent, interest, to . . . . ;!^i6 12 6 



and the annual deferred rent at 5s. an acre, from 1880 to 1906, 

 equivalent to . . . . . . . .1100 



^27 12 6 

 the balance, ^^49 : is., represents the actual profit per acre . . 49 i o 



£76 13 6 

 It seems to me that the price of 6d. per foot for trees of this size is somewhat 

 excessive, as those of less than 10 feet are hardly fit for anything but pitwood or 

 rough fencing ; but the value of the trees over 10 feet might be somewhat higher. 



From the appearance of this plantation, in which many of the smaller trees were 

 already suppressed and not likely to grow much more, it seemed to me that either a 

 heavy thinning or clean felling was the proper thing to do, but this'must depend on 

 the local demand for timber of this size and quality. And if the small area, 

 exposed position, and inferior agricultural quality of the land be taken into 



