REPORT ON THE MANAGEMENT AND VALUE OF POPLAR. 129 



enables the invigorating elements to reach the roots. Soil very- 

 firm should be well loosened with the borebill. Rough herbage 

 in every case must be kept clear of the young trees. 



An important duty devolving on the planter, is that of keep- 

 ing the earth clear of the neck or most vital part of the tree, 

 where the stem and roots join, as the freer and looser these are 

 the sap ascends the more copiously into and promotes the growth 

 of the tree. In every branch of arboriculture the writer has re- 

 marked the advantage of attending to this. He was first led to 

 notice this fact in the case of a row of trees which grew upon a 

 turf dyke, which, on being levelled down, left all their largest 

 roots exposed. On comparing the dark rich foliage of this row 

 with that of another close by, whose roots were unexposed, the 

 difference in favour of the former was so great as to excite the 

 astonishment of every one to whom the circumstance was 

 pointed out. By the practice of removing the earth and partly 

 exposing the roots many sickly trees were restored to health, the 

 growth of the healthy promoted, and especially in fast-growing 

 trees, like the .poplar, its beneficial effects were at once apparent. 



To illustrate the above mode of treatment or management of 

 poplar, we must enter more fully on the subject. 



1st, Because of the natural hardiness of the poplar, it requires 

 no other trees to shield or nurse it, and all such nurses would 

 only retard its growth and development. 



2d, The poplar being the fastest grower of all forest trees, 

 especially in its early stages of growth, is well fitted to be a pro- 

 tection or nurse to other trees when they are young. The species 

 to which it is best suited as nurse are oak and ash ; the reason 

 of which is, that the latter grow well on clayey soil where there 

 is moisture — not adapted for larch or spruce — and such as the 

 poplar luxuriates in. 



3d, For a crop of poplar exclusively the trees should be 

 planted at a distance of from 8 to 9 feet apart, for the following 

 reasons : — First, because no thinning is required before the trees 

 are of a size fit for cutting, and because they pay best to remain 

 at the distance planted till the whole is cleared as a crop ; and, 

 secondly, because the natural habit of the poplar, unlike most 

 other trees, is to take a rapid upward direction of growth, unaided 

 by art, and the lateral branches have just sufficient room, no 

 more, to develop themselves properly, and receive in due time 

 a proper check in their horizontal growth, so as to secure a tall, 

 well-proportioned trunk, without the risk of becoming too 

 bushy. 



4th, The ground best adapted for poplar being such as would 

 produce luxuriant crops of whatever kind, might be turned to 

 profitable account in several ways. 



oth, Where the herbage is peculiarly coarse or rank, and calcu- 



I 



