215 



Danhail Moss. On the Estate of Rowallan^ Ayr- 

 shire, the property of the Most Noble the Mar- 

 chioness of Hastings, Countess of Loudoun, Ba- 

 roness 31auchlme, 8^c. 8^c, 



This moss is said to contain 16 acres, and every 

 inch of it may be converted into planting land ; all 

 that is requisite is, to cut deep open ditches where 

 the water cannot be let properly off, and plant 

 betwixt these. From the situation of this place, 

 there can be nothing better than larch firs ; and I 

 beg here to suggest the planting of the whole with 

 larch firs, to give variety to its look, especially in 

 winter, a few Scotch and spruce firs may be put in 

 round the borders, and all the rest larch firs ; these 

 larch firs will not only make a soil for themselves, by 

 killing the heath and every thing else, but will grow 

 most rapidly on this place. The larch firs should be 

 planted at 4 feet apart, plant from plant, and these 

 may all grow till they are fit for paling, when the 

 one-half may be cut out, leaving them at 8 feet 

 apart ; when the trees are fit for small roofing, &c. 

 another half or thereby may be cut out, leaving the 

 trees now on the ground, at 16 feet apart, at which 

 distances they may stand to be reared up to maturity 

 as timber trees. In this case, the first thinning may 

 commence when the trees are at a height of about 

 8 feet ; this may be about eight or from eight to ten 

 years after planted, at which time this plantation of 

 larch firs will begin to pay. The second thinning 

 should be when the trees are at a height of from 18 

 to ^24 feet, which will be about the age of from 14 

 to 18 years, when the thinnings, at this time, will 



