IMPORTANT LOCAL PLANTING. 99 



your readers, but they are not singular, as in ' Grigor's 

 Arboriculture,' pages 56 and 58, examples of contract 

 planting are given at 10s. and 10s. 6d. per Scotch 

 acre in the year 1830; while at page 62 other ex- 

 amples are given at 16s. and 19s. per acre, — and it is 

 important to note that the same system is still prac- 

 tised in the north, though at advanced rates. Of 

 course, it must be understood that this mode of plant- 

 ing is only suited for hill-ground, where the heather 

 is short and the soil free and open. The person 

 whose experience I have quoted above states : " The 

 greatest difficulties I have had to contend with are 

 where the ground has a close grassy surface." It 

 must also be understood that the prices given above 

 are only for plants and planting, and to this must be 

 added the cost of enclosing and drainage where neces- 

 sary. Still, with these items added, the cost of plant- 

 ing ordinary hill-ground wiU not exceed from 30s. to 

 40s. per acre, or say 500 acres planted and enclosed 

 for less than £1000. Surely that ought to be an 

 inducement to proprietors in the north of Scotland to 

 plant suitable portions of their hill-ground. 



