ARBORICULTURE. 37 3 



which trenching cannot on any account be dispensed with, which 

 is that of ground near a mansion, where the value of trees in re- 

 spect to landscape effect, shelter, shade, concealment and the 

 improvement of local climate, have equal if not superior claims 

 to that of the actual value of the timber produced by the indivi- 

 dual trees of the plantation. As many local circumstances inter- 

 fere with the performance of these different processes, as the 

 comparative cheapness of labor, of manure, the facility of obtain- 

 ing the most proper sized plants, to anticipate two or three years' 

 earlier return of produce, &c, it would be of little use here to 

 give any calculations of expense and profits, as data by which to 

 estimate the results of either mode of practice, that would be 

 applicable to every soil and site alluded to. Where the local de- 

 mand for the smaller-sized products of plantations are great, the 

 more expensive process of trenching should be adopted, inasmuch 

 as the growth of forest trees to the size of poles, and of materials for 

 fencing, &c, is highly promoted by trenching and manuring, and 

 the returns of profits from these products of planting are in propor- 

 tion earlier and larger. That this superiority extends in the same 

 proportion to the ultimate produce of timber in trees, may not 

 appear so clear, because it may be urged by those who under- 

 value trenching and manuring as preparation of the soil for plant- 

 ing forest trees, and there are no satisfactory records of the com- 

 parative rate of increase of timber, or of solid vegetable fibre, 

 after the first twenty or thirty years' growth of the different species 

 of forest trees, which have been planted on trenched and manured 

 grounds, and the contrary, being under all other circumstances 

 the same until their last stage of perfection ; and yet the truth of 

 such continued superiority of increase, is the only test by which 

 the question can be decided, and an unerring rule of practice be 

 obtained. The results of mere observation, or conclusions drawn 

 from the apparent contents of trees, will not be found to warrant 

 the adoption of any new mode of practice. But the comparative 

 increase and ultimate produce of timber should be ascertained up 

 to the period of the trees attaining to perfect maturity in the most 

 satisfactory manner, by actual admeasurement ; and correct 

 records kept of the age of the trees, comparative value of the 



