PHYSICAL FEATURES. 



127 



Elizabeth Taylor, Edinburgh, 1873). The Stuarts make mention, 

 in their Lays of the Deer Forest {vide p. 221), of vast stretches of 

 forest growth of firs and oaks in Lochaber and Glen Treig, and 

 in Strathfarrar, ' where twelve miles of pine, birch, and oak w^ere 

 burned to improve the sheep pasture,' — and in Tarnaway of * ab- 

 original pines, . . . oaks, . . . and hollies, . . . which latter were 

 not exceeded, perhaps not equalled in Great Britain ' {loc. cit. p. 

 257). But we must pass on to more recent times. Even at the 

 less remote date of 1864, shortly after the present line of the 

 * Highland Eailway ' was opened, a large extent of the central 

 plain of the Eothiemurchus Forest underwent complete denuda- 

 tion of its timber -growth, leaving to this day the black and 

 charred stumps of many goodly pines. These were cut to supply 

 demand, and the ground has since been burned, to prepare it, it is 

 hoped, for replanting. Some of the other large areas have been 

 more mercifully, and w^e think more wisely treated, annual income 

 being secured by annual thinning out; thus at the same time 

 preserving the wooded appearance and beauty of the landscape, 

 and providing for the future crop by native seed, shed by the 

 remaining trees. Such a system is followed throughout the 

 whole area still occupied by the old pine-forest on the extensive 

 Strathspey estates of the Countess of Seafield, through Glen- 

 more belonging to the Duke of Eichmond and Gordon, and the 

 old wood of the Crannach at Carr Bridge, not to speak of other 

 areas on the Findhorn, and others again north of the line of the 

 Great Glen. 



Of the re-afforesting by younger growth, the history is also 

 fully known, if not fully told, and is within easy reach of all 

 who are specially interested ; it may be said to have commenced 

 on Strathspey towards the end of the last and the beginning of 

 the present century, the example having been shown by the 

 Duke of Athole in the valley of the Garry, and followed by 

 the proprietors upon Strathspey shortly afterwards. At the 

 present time the whole valley and minor hill-slopes of Spey may 

 be said to have become re-habilitated in a mantle of pine-wood of 

 various ages. On the Countess of Seafield's properties alone over 

 40,000,000 of trees have been planted quite in recent years; wliik*, 



