NOTES FOR PLANTEKS. 287 



XXXIV. Notes for Planters. By G. U. Macdonald, Raith. 



Now that the planting season is again with us, it may not be 

 out of place to touch upon a few points of interest to those about 

 to enter upon this important work for the first time. 



Assuming that the area to be planted is sufficiently protected 

 against game and field stock, and that the soil has been properly 

 drained, if needed, the important question that the planter has 

 to decide is what trees are best adapted to the varying conditions 

 of soil and situation with which he has to deal. For as a 

 general rule it is only on very small areas that the quality of the 

 soil and the other conditions are so uniform as to warrant the 

 use of only one species of tree over the whole ground. 



Frequent mistakes have been made in the past, and are still 

 being made, in planting trees on soils and in situations unsuitable 

 to their natural growth, and no doubt many of the diseases 

 which affect our forest trees have been induced by this unnatural 

 treatment. Little wonder that proprietors and foresters have so 

 often to complain of "pumped" elm and " royed " larch, when it 

 is found that these species have been planted on soil which was 

 eminently better adapted for beech and spruce. 



In the hope of being of some service in helping beginners to 

 avoid the mistakes referred to, I venture to offer a few hints on 

 the soils best adapted for the healthy growth of a limited number 

 of the more common and useful timber trees grown in Great 

 Britain, and also a few remarks as to the manner in which these 

 trees should be planted. 



Oak, perhaps the most valuable of our timber trees, should 

 be planted on rich, strong soil of considerable depth. If planted 

 on light soil, it attains a premature maturity and decays early. 

 Oak thrives best on a high, well-drained situation. Trees of 

 this species, when grown on marshy soil or along the margins 

 of water-courses, not infrequently get " ft*ost cracked," which 

 renders the timber practically useless ; hence the importance of 

 choosing for it a moderately dry situation. Select strong, 

 well-shaped plants of from 2 to 3 feet in height, with an 

 abundance of fibrous rootlets, and plant them in pits previously 

 prepared for their reception, at distances of about 5 feet 

 apart when a pure crop is wanted. Avoid mixing this tree 

 with a number of other species, but if for amenity or reasons 



