THE FORMATION OF PLANTATIONS. was 
that plants raised on the ground have the advantage so far as 
transplanting is concerned, and the additional trouble and expense 
of forming a nursery is fully compensated for before the planting 
of a large area is completed. 
Size of Plants. 
The size of the plants at the time of planting must depend 
a good deal upon the nature and situation of the ground. For 
exposed and elevated situations, one-year seedling, one year trans 
planted, are probably the best, as they have a better chance of 
getting established in the ground. In more sheltered positions, 
and where the herbage is coarse and rank, two-year seedling, 
two years transplanted, may be used, and in ordinary situations no 
advantage is gained by planting them larger than the latter size. 
The former size refers only to conifers, the latter to both conifers 
and hardwoods. The great desideratum is to obtain plants with 
their roots and tops equally proportioned, or if one of the two 
preponderate, let it be the former. 
Distance between the Plants. 
The distance apart at which the trees are to stand after the 
final thinning should determine the distance apart at which to 
plant. To fully utilise the ground, and give the plantation a 
regular and uniform appearance, the special requirements of each 
species used (or more properly of the species to form the ultimate 
crop) in regard to space should be carefully considered. The 
probable rate of growth and capabilities of the ground will have 
to be considered, but the principal thing requisite is a knowledge 
of the maximum number of trees which a given acre of ground 
is capable of growing and bringing to maturity. By dividing the 
area by this number, the space occupied by each tree is obtained ; 
and the square root of this area, divided by a power of two, 
corresponding to the number of regular thinnings intended, gives 
the distance which should separate the young plants. This may 
be considered unnecessary and too theoretical, in view of the 
many accidents and casualties which may occur during the life- 
time of a plantation, while no allowance is made for the greater 
demands of strong and vigorous trees for space compared with 
their weaker neighbours. The first objection has no more weight 
than the case of a man who objected to being educated when 
