IN RELATION TO THE DUE ABILITY OF TIMBER. 279 



man, some solidity of substance for timber, others colouring 

 matters, more secreting products for luxury or medicine, it is but 

 fair to infer that a mutilated portion of a tree cannot produce 

 either of these substances in such abundance as a perfectly- 

 developed individual. 



It is an axiom considered to be worthy of attentive observance 

 in the animal economy, that careful attention during infancy is 

 met by a corresponding rapidity and healthful ness of develop- 

 ment in subsequent stages of existence, and vice versa. And if 

 this be true of an animal, why should it not be true of a vege- 

 table ? The period of germination is the plant's infancy, and 

 the artificial method of planting, or rather sowing, appears to 

 me calculated to afford everything but facility to growth. If 

 we take the oak as an example (and it is the tree to which I 

 shall most particularly refer), we find that no provision is made 

 to lift the cotyledons above any extraneous matter that might 

 from accident or design press around them. The importance of 

 their healthy action in the economy of the young plant is pre- 

 sumed to be wtII understood, Wlien an acorn falls and germi- 

 nates, sown by Nature's own hand, how beautiful and healthy 

 are the expanded cotyledons, wisely screened from a too excessive 

 action of light and heat by a few decaying leaves, and with what 

 vigour the young plant springs into life I But quite the opposite 

 of this is the practice and results in the nursery. Tiie earth is 

 excavated, the acorns are thrown in, and soil is heaped over them 

 to the depth of several inches. No atmospheric influences are 

 calculated on. Oxygen for nourishment and for the liberation 

 of carbon is only to be obtained by its presence in water. In 

 this state, crowded in masses, the young trees spring into life, 

 sorry representatives, mere ghosts of what they should have been. 

 In this " nursery bed " they pass their first and often second and 

 third years. Now the bedding-out abomination follows : by 

 some means or other they are rooted out with a foot or two of 

 " tap root," which the pruning knife quickly disposes of, and 

 each plant shorn of its roots enjoys three inches of breathing 

 room for another year or two, as the case may be. While tlds 

 system is going on, some nobleman's forester is preparing a 

 plantation for oaks by placing Scotch firs in parallel rows to 

 shelter the young oaks intended to be placed between them, and 

 in this position in due time the oaks are planted. Every pre- 

 caution is taken to afford shelter to the young plants, in order 

 " that the winds of heaven visit them not too rudely." Pam- 

 pered into rapid growth by such precautions, over-crowded by 

 their own kindred, and pressed upon by their nurses, the firs, no 

 wonder that, instead of sturdy healthiness, of which the true cha- 

 racter of the oak is ever recognised as the type, they are but 



