THE CORK TREE. 555 
one plant will grow and flourish in an argillaceous soil, for example, with 
preference for a calcareous formation, nor that it prefers one exposure to 
another, nor that it requires an exact amount ot moisture, nor a certain 
fixed temperature. All and each of these conditions, and various others, 
may exert a modifying influence, in a greater or less degree, on each of 
the others. All must be considered, as all exert great influence in the 
development of the plant. 
If there should already be any growth of shrubs or young trees on the 
land which might serve as a protection or shelter, planting in belts might 
be advantageously resorted to. The soil should only be moved in the 
belts in which the acorns are planted, making them from 32 to 40 inches 
in width. The brush removed from these belts should be thrown on the 
intervening uncultivated belts, thus forming an additional protection 
from heat and eold. 
Pianting in trenches may be tried when the land or the requirements 
of the tree are not known. It consists in marking out belts about 135 
feet wide, horizontally if on a slope, and from east to west if the ground 
is level. An excavation 10 feet wide and from 2 to 4 inches in depth, 
according to the quality of the soil, is then made, and the excavated 
earth thrown on the remaining portion of the belt in the shape of an em- 
bankmert. Where the land slopes this embankment should be on the 
lower side, and on levels on the south side. In the center of the open 
belt a second excavation, 8 inches in depth and 4 in width, in the shape 
of a half cylinder, should be made longitudinally; the earth from this 
last excavation placed so as to form a convex surface between the first 
embankment and the excavation. In the remaining portion the surface 
of the soil may be slightly stirred. In this way all the conditions that 
are favorable or not to the development of tie tree can be found, and an 
opportunity is afforded to determine the best mode of culture. 
The preparation of the ground by ditching is recommended when the 
surface and subsoils‘are very much impacted, are of bad quality, or 
are full of thick roots. To do this, ditches from 8 to 20 inches in width 
and about the same depth are opened from 15 to 40 feet apart. They 
should be dug in summer or autumn, in order that the soil may be ex- 
posed to the action of the air for half a year at least. When it is time 
to plant, the earth should be thrown back into the ditches and the opera- 
tion iscomplete. If the earth should be too compact a little sand should 
be added, or else a few dry sticks or weeds, which would also serve as 
manure. If the soil should be damp a little earth taken from the inter- 
vening spaces might be thrown on, making a sort of a ridge over the 
ditch. If, on the other hand, the soil should be very dry, and the situ- 
. ation very much exposed to heat or cold, the ditches should be filled in 
only up to about 4 inches from the surface. On slopes the ditches should 
be run horizontally, as the moisture and strength of the soil are better 
preserved. 
Planting in squares, which is done by cutting ont squares measuring 
4 feet each way, in the existing growth of shrubs and young trees, and 
planting a few acorns in the center of each square, is superior to the 
belt method in affording protection to the young trees, because the earth 
thrown against the sides forms a sort of wall which protects them from 
the wind. It would not do, however, to follow this pian with close 
soils, for the water would accumulate in the center and injure the young 
plants or seed. 
Planting in holes is much like the method first spoken of, so much so 
that a more particular description is not deemed necessary. 
The acorns should be gathered when perfectly ripe. Those which 
