REPORT ON THE MANAGEMENT AND VALUE OF POPLAR. 127 



writer's superintendence, upon an estate in Roxburghshire, in 

 1859. In that he planted a great number of the various hardy 

 species, including balsam poplar, Ontario, and Athenian, the soil 

 being a stiff clay, and he was surprised to find that they all died 

 soon after planting. White Egyptian, Lombardy, and Carolina 

 lingered a little, but died also. The only plant that flourished 

 was the black Italian. Finding the utmost difficulty in getting 

 the latter to root, he adopted successfully the following plan. On 

 forming the hole for receiving the plant, he made it deeper and 

 wider than sufficient to admit the roots. This hole he partly 

 filled with light earth, sufficient to cover the roots until they be- 

 came incorporated with the native heavy clay. The plants thus 

 treated succeeded perfectly well. 



Another difficulty to contend with in planting poplar, is the 

 wind which, by twisting and tangling them, injures and often 

 destroys them. This arises from the top of the tree being heavy 

 as compared with its root, and the latter not having depth or 

 sufficient anchorage power to sustain the former. Caught in a 

 heavy gale, for example, it is in danger of toppling over. Stakes 

 are in such a case of great utility. When the number of trees 

 is only small, they can easily be supported by this means ; but 

 when it is great, say as many as to cover an acre, or about 600, 

 of course the task is more difficult, and attended with expense. 

 Stakes, at a moderate calculation, would cost 2d. each, including 

 ropes and putting down, and supposing 600 trees were thus sup- 

 ported, the expense would be £5. This added to the cost of an 

 acre of plantation is thus sunk during the period of growth, 

 which, if 40 years, would amount to £20 alone — an item too 

 considerable not to require looking into before adopted. 



If, however, stakes can be dispensed with, so much the better. 

 Of two trees planted, one with stakes and the other without, it is 

 well known that the latter thrives best, which arises from its 

 being freely shaken by the wind, which agitation proves so 

 beneficial to the flow of sap and nourishment into every part 

 of it. 



Stakes are also attended with evil, occasioned by the breaking 

 of the ropes or bands, or by these becoming too tight. In either 

 case care is required to keep them in proper order. Particular 

 attention must be paid, lest they injure the bark or leaves of the 

 young trees by rubbing against them during high winds. To 

 obviate the necessity of stakes, the writer has long adopted the 

 following method, which is cheap, simple, and efficient. All 

 trees planted with few roots, or without a ball of earth attached, 

 when so high as to feel the force of the wind, are apt to be 

 shaken and injured. Especially is this the case with regard to 

 poplars which, from their very nature, are liable to suffer in this 

 manner. Let the planter judge what proportion, in point of size, 



