On the Planting of Forest-Trees, 2S5 



as the several last mentioned, the trees derive the greatest benefit 

 from two sources, the permeability of the soil, and the abundant 

 supply of every kind of food which they require. 



When we attempt to assist Nature in her operations, we shouhl 

 surely bear in mind these instructive lessons v/hich she every- 

 where presents to our observation. Our own maxims and prac- 

 tice in the nursery should be transferred to tlie sites to be planted, 

 and a corresponding course pursued, as far as circumstances 

 Tender it necessary or practicable, to carry them into effect. I 

 have planted orchards upon most of the soils best suited to the 

 growth of apple-trees, and have always found that those grew the 

 fastest, where the soil has been of a loose but marly and cal- 

 careous nature ; but the most promising orchard was in a field 

 which had been, up to the time of planting, and was for some 

 time afterwards, cultivated as a hop-yard. In the lias formation, 

 where the soil has been moved to a considerable depth in taking 

 out the thin beds of stone, it is observed that apple-trees thrive 

 with much greater vigour in such situations than where the soil 

 has not been so loosened. In adducing these proofs of the bene- 

 ficial effect produced upon the growth of trees, by deepening and 

 improving the condition of the soil, I by no means wish to con- 

 tend that trenching is desirable or manuring practicable upon all 

 soils indiscriminately, or even in the great majority of instances. 

 In mountainous districts, for instance, where the rocks are thinly 

 covered with a light siliceous soil, such as most of the transition 

 and all the primitive series present, the trenching of the ground, 

 even on such rare spots where it might be practicable, would be 

 decidedly injurious, as on such soils the turf is for the most part 

 needful to prevent the earth from being blown away by the high 

 winds, and to preserve moisture ; and the soil is already sufficiently 

 loose for the due admission of air and moisture, and the extension 

 of the roots of the plants. In lower situations, on the more 

 recent strata, such as the new red-sandstone, the sand of the 

 inferior oolite, the iron and green sands, those of the plastic clay, 

 and some of the Bagshot sands, the soils are generally so loose as 

 to require no preparation. Such soils are best adapted to the 

 growth of larch and fir, which are less grateful for cultivation 

 than other trees. I have planted extensively on most of the light 

 soils, from those of the grauwacke to the greensand inclusive, 

 without trenching and with entire success. In some of these 

 plantations I have seen larch and Spanish chesnut make annual 

 shoots of 3 feet. On such soils, therefore, previous expensive 

 operations are needless, when not only the pine-tribe, but many 

 valuable deciduous trees will thrive luxuriantly without. But the 

 case is very different in extremely stiff clays and firm iron-bound 

 gravels ; on them plants often languish for years before they can 



