2362

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

FART ill.

ing and planting, occupied the long period of years from 1800 to 1815. Thisdelay arose greatly from the difficulty of obtaining larch plants, and whichonly permitted them to be planted to a thickness of from 1500 to 1800 peracre. From a different mode of planting being adopted, however, and theselection of plants of an earlier age (an account of both of which will behereafter given), the cost of fencing and planting this extensive range ofground did not exceed 10s. 6 d. per acre.

“ Having now no doubt whatever of the successful growth of the larch invery elevated situations, the duke still farther pursued his object of coveringall his mountainous regions with that valuable wood. Accordingly, a space tothe northward of the one last described, containing 2959 Scotch acres, wasimmediately enclosed, and planted entirely with larch. This tract, lyinggenerally above the region of broom, furze, juniper, and long heath, requiredno artificial clearing. An improved mode of planting was employed here,that of using young plants only, two or three years’ seedlings, put into theground by means of an instrument invented by the duke, instead of thecommon spade. This change of arrangement facilitated the operation, and,at the same time, greatly increased the supply of the plants, so as to enablethe whole ground to be planted in three years, from the 4th of December,1815, to the 2d of December, 1818. The increased number of plants peracre, and the high price of the plants, enhanced the cost to 16s. 8 d. peracre, for enclosing and planting this forest of Loch Ordie, so named from abeautiful sheet of water in it, of 100 acres in extent.

“ In 1824, the growth of the larch in Loch Ordie Forest having greatlyexceeded the sanguine hopes and expectations of the duke, he determined onadding to it an extensive adjoining tract, consisting of 2231 Scotch acres,denominated Loch Hoishnie. The preparations of fencing, clearing (wherethat was necessary), making roads, and procuring plants from different nur-serymen, occupied the time till October, 1825, when the planting commenced,and was carried on in such good earnest, that the whole was finished byDecember, 1826. The fencing and planting cost 15s. per acre. There wasno plantation which His Grace had executed that gave him so much satis-faction in the work, as that of the Forest of Loch Hoishnie.

“ The planting of this forest appears to have terminated the labours of thisduke in planting; and the following table will show at a glance the extentof the larch plantations executed by the different noble dukes, and whichwill form a summary of what has been stated above ; —

Numberof Larches^exclusive ofthe otherplants mixedwith them.

Numberof Larchesplanted with-out mixture.

Acres ofentireLarches.

16

350

1,575

11,400

279,000

20,000

560,000

250,000

43,500

480,000

240,000

2,25u,0()0

5,922,000

4,038,880

29

450

600

1800

2961

2231

1,122,339

12,974,380

8071

Duke James planted, at Dunkeld and Blair,

in. 17;«

. to 1750

.. .. .. .. .. .. to 1759

Duke John planted, at Dunkeld and Blair,from .... 1766 to 1774,

The late Duke John, . 1774 to 1783,

1783 to 1786,1786 to 1791,1791 to 1799,1800 to 1815,1816 to 1818,1824 to 1826,

“ The total amount of larch plants, mixed or unmixed with other kinds,will thus amount to the enormous number of 14,096,719 plants; and, if weallow 2000 plants per acre for the amount that was mixed with other kindsof trees, these would occupy a space, if planted alone of larch, of 533 acres,so that the whole extent of ground occupied by larch amounts to 8604Scotch acres, or 10,324 acres imperial.