442 EDITORS BOX. LApbil, 



TBEE PLANTING. 



SiE, — * Bannockburn ' evidently fails to understand what is meant 

 by the expression, '« close, grassy vegetation,' and in his dilemma 

 appears, from the tenor of his last letter, to be somewhat out of temper ; 

 which may arise from the fact that as yet he finds his opinions are 

 unsupported. With something like a sneer he would have your 

 readers believe that paring is only practised by a few foresters in the 

 North. Sneers, I hope, we can afford to disregard ; and I would remind 

 him that, although he could prove such to be the case, it would not by 

 any means detract from its merits. I venture, however, to give it as 

 my opinion, that it is, if not practised, at least approved of beyond 

 the confines of the North ; and that it is so is substantiated by Mr. 

 McKenzie's letter in your last issue. 



' Bannockburn ' has apparently been unfortunate in his paring ex- 

 perience, and the very mention of it seems to recall to his memory 

 unpleasant recollections. And why so ? Simply because he has been 

 paring where it was not required. He has evidently adopted it in 

 every conceivable soil and situation but that in which it was required. 

 He styles it an 'innovation,' yet it appears to be no new thing in his 

 experience, neither is it of very recent origin in mine. Although I recom- 

 mend it, and adopt it, and find it to be greatly to the advantage of all 

 concerned, except the nurserymen, to do so, yet I would never think 

 of doing so indiscriminately, as ' Bannockburn ' seems to have done. 

 The judicious performance of it is, in my opinion, highly beneficial ; 

 the abuse of it results in needless expense and it may be failure. 

 Mr. McKenzie, in a very practical and common-sense letter, stated 

 very clearly a case in point, and also ' Tamas ' — whose remarks with 

 reference to the Culbin Sands I can corroborate. I could also state 

 several others, some from want of moisture — and this can only be 

 obviated by paring — others from suffocation, and in some cases perhaps 

 from both. I do not, however, deem it necessary to enter further 

 into the merits of this discussion, as, after what I have already stated, 

 and the clear cases cited by your correspondents referred to, in sup- 

 port of my recommendation, your readers will be quite able to under- 

 stand what is meant by the expression, ' a close, grassy vegetation ; ' 

 and I venture to think ' Bannockburn's ' anonymous endeavour to 

 construe a plain specific statement into one of a general character will 

 not meet with general approval. 



Darnaway, N.B. D. ScOTT. 



