Possible RSFS visit to Deeside area
The photograph is courtesy of the family of George Dey. Check under ‘Groups’ and George Dey Collection.
The two gentlemen are showing off the results of a 1963 Nitrogen fertiliser experiment which could have been applied to this Scots pine crop. The graphs show the diameter growth responses to the differing levels of applied nitrogen. Note how the growth rates fall off and converge after 7 years.
Can anyone name two graph holders?
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Groups: Forest Research, Forestry Areas, George Dey Forestry Collection, Northeast Scotland
3 Comments
Is that Dr (later Professor) Hugh Miller on the left?
Comment left on 23 October 2016 at 17:02 by Andrew Nicol
I confirm this is Dr Hugh Miller on the left. Before he became Prof. at Aberdeen he worked at the Macaulay Inst. in Aberdeen. The venue is Dalliefour Wood (near Birkhall) on the Banks of the Dee. I was involved with this project throughout the 1960s when stationed at Drumtochty as Research Head forester N.E. Scot.
Further info available if required.
John Keenleyside.
Comment left on 27 October 2016 at 21:38 by John Keenleyside
Further info available if required.
John Keenleyside.
Comment left on 27 October 2016 at 21:38 by John Keenleyside
Additional information on Experiment N63 has been added by John Keeleyside as follows:
Alltcailleach Forest - Dalliefour Wood - East Conservancy Scot.
Head Forester in Charge - Daniel Marnoch.
Experiment N/63 was a joint experiment between:
The Macaulay Institute for Soil Research - Contact Dr Hugh Miller.
The Forestry Commission Silv.N Edinburgh - Contact J.M. Mackenzie
Experiments in NE Scotland based at Drumtochty – Local Contact J. Keenleyside.
The experiment N/63 was set up to see if the application of Nitrogen at
different rates could increase the volume of saw logs from pole stage crops of Scots Pine growing at Yield Class 10.
The Nitrogen applied was Urea 46% N. The Nitrogen was delivered to Drumtochty and weighed out into the correct amount for each plot. The Fertiliser was taken to site, the plots were laid out and then quartered and the appropriate amount applied to each quarter. The climate was pretty dry under the canopy of this pole stage crop so the spreading had to take place before heavy rain or much of the benefit may have been lost.
Measurement of the crop was very precise. Vernier girth bands were placed on the sample trees at breast height and a further band much higher up, these were read
each year at the end of the growing season usually end of October and the volume increment calculated.
Foliage sampling was carried out each year to check on the uptake of Nitrogen. This involved using a 16metre heavy wooden ladder to reach the canopy with live branches capable of carrying the body weight of the climber, who then proceeded to the top. He then drew up a pruning head and snipped off a side shoot from the top whorl. Ground staff retrieved this shoot made sure it was a satisfactory sample before proceeding to the next sample tree.
The Macaulay Institute team were a hands on team, led initially by W.O. Binns later Dr Hugh Miller who were expert tree climbers and did everything correctly and observed all the safety procedures. They took the samples shoots to Aberdeen for analysis. WO Binns left Macaulay to joined F.C. and Dr Hugh Miller left Macaulay and became Prof. at the Department of Forestry following Prof. John Mathews who retired.
This experiment showed the benefit of applying Nitrogen to crops but escalating costs made this uneconomic by the early seventies.
John Keenleyside Expts. NE. Scot. 1961-1970. Based at Drumtochty.
Comment left on 03 November 2016 at 12:08 by Norman Davidson
Alltcailleach Forest - Dalliefour Wood - East Conservancy Scot.
Head Forester in Charge - Daniel Marnoch.
Experiment N/63 was a joint experiment between:
The Macaulay Institute for Soil Research - Contact Dr Hugh Miller.
The Forestry Commission Silv.N Edinburgh - Contact J.M. Mackenzie
Experiments in NE Scotland based at Drumtochty – Local Contact J. Keenleyside.
The experiment N/63 was set up to see if the application of Nitrogen at
different rates could increase the volume of saw logs from pole stage crops of Scots Pine growing at Yield Class 10.
The Nitrogen applied was Urea 46% N. The Nitrogen was delivered to Drumtochty and weighed out into the correct amount for each plot. The Fertiliser was taken to site, the plots were laid out and then quartered and the appropriate amount applied to each quarter. The climate was pretty dry under the canopy of this pole stage crop so the spreading had to take place before heavy rain or much of the benefit may have been lost.
Measurement of the crop was very precise. Vernier girth bands were placed on the sample trees at breast height and a further band much higher up, these were read
each year at the end of the growing season usually end of October and the volume increment calculated.
Foliage sampling was carried out each year to check on the uptake of Nitrogen. This involved using a 16metre heavy wooden ladder to reach the canopy with live branches capable of carrying the body weight of the climber, who then proceeded to the top. He then drew up a pruning head and snipped off a side shoot from the top whorl. Ground staff retrieved this shoot made sure it was a satisfactory sample before proceeding to the next sample tree.
The Macaulay Institute team were a hands on team, led initially by W.O. Binns later Dr Hugh Miller who were expert tree climbers and did everything correctly and observed all the safety procedures. They took the samples shoots to Aberdeen for analysis. WO Binns left Macaulay to joined F.C. and Dr Hugh Miller left Macaulay and became Prof. at the Department of Forestry following Prof. John Mathews who retired.
This experiment showed the benefit of applying Nitrogen to crops but escalating costs made this uneconomic by the early seventies.
John Keenleyside Expts. NE. Scot. 1961-1970. Based at Drumtochty.
Comment left on 03 November 2016 at 12:08 by Norman Davidson
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