ON QUALITY OF SOIL. 



101 



Castle, in Forfarshire. Throughout the Valley of 

 Strath more, the best oaks, as far as my observation 

 has reached, occur in the same kind of soil ; and the 

 fact, that some of the largest trees of this descrip- 

 tion in Scotland are to be found in the Carse of 

 Gowrie, seems to confirm the position I have here 

 laid down. But, though the oak may require a 

 rich clay to bring it to its maximum growth, it is 

 by no means a tree that is delicate with regard to 

 soil. It thrives well in good loam, and I have seen 

 it in a considerable degree of perfection, not only in 

 sandy and gravelly, but even in rocky land. It is 

 to be found in all these varieties at Inchmarly, 

 Blackball, Invercauld, Monalterie, Abergeldie, &c. 

 on Deeside. From the quality of the substratums 

 on which the remains of oak are often found in 

 peat-mosses, we may safely infer that it will attain 

 no contemptible size in soil which is of but very in- 

 different quality ; and also, that it will bear a con- 

 siderable degree of moisture. As this country, in- 

 deed, appears at one time, to have been nearly co- 

 vered with oak forests, it would seem that it will 

 thrive on a greater variety of soils than almost any 

 other tree we possess. We may at least assert, 

 that, with proper management, it will grow to a size 

 fit for many of the purposes to which it is commonly 



