100 ON SEA-SIDE PLANTING. 
same age, Whether or not trees may ever become valuable 
as timber, on such an arid soil, is a problem which can only 
be solved in future years (for he is not aware of there being 
any such existing under similar circumstances in this country) ; 
but he is sanguine that they will attain a size to be very use- 
ful for palings and other country purposes. But it was not 
in the expectation of profit that he was induced to plant, but 
entirely in the hope of obtaining shelter and ornament, and of 
giving an improved appearance to a very dreary prospect. In 
this object the author has every reason to believe, from pre- 
sent appearances, that in due time he shall succeed; and it 
would gratify him much, if, stimulated by the knowledge of 
his success, any other proprietor of similar dreary and sandy 
tracts, which are so frequent along the coasts of Scotland, 
should be induced to plant them,” 
These plantations, now (1865) from twenty to twenty-eight 
years of age, range from twenty-five to forty-five feet in height, 
and are very vigorous. They yield valuable thinnings, and 
although they stand on pure sand-drift, give promise of pro- 
ducing heavy timber at a period not far distant. 
Observing that these plantations were treated in the most 
skilful manner, I applied to Mr. Grant for information re- 
garding their pecuniary return, and he has kindly favoured 
me with.the following statement :— 
“Forres House, 25th February 1865.—In answer to your 
letter of inquiry respecting my plantation adjoining the sand- 
hills of Kincorth, I write to say that, although I have not 
kept: any precise notes of the entire management, you may 
rely on the accuracy of the following details. The extent of 
the plantation is about seventy acres, but having been planted 
during successive years, some parts of it are more advanced, 
and have been oftener thinned than others. I have con- 
stantly adhered to the rule of not cutting any trees in it ex- 
cept in thinning with the object of improving the plantation. 
The greater part of it was thinned twice without yielding any 
pecuniary return, and at an expense of from £15 to £20, 
each time, say in all of £35. From these thinnings, however, 
