I04 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



SiLVICULTURAL NOTES. 



1. Planting on Moor-pan. — A young plantation, which the 

 writer planted five years ago, had in the centre a patch about 

 2 acres in extent, where the soil was very light in texture and of 

 a black colour, was only some 6 to 8 inches deep, and lay upon 

 a bed of moor-pan, as hard as cement and several inches thick. 

 During the first three years after planting, the summers were very 

 dry, and as the plants could not obtain any water through the 

 pan, they nearly all died. Scots pine was the species which did 

 best. It was therefore decided to dig through the pan, and plant 

 nothing but Scots pine. For this purpose crowbars were used, 

 and by their aid holes were dug to a depth of about i8 inches. 

 These holes passed through the pan and reached a layer of sand 

 below. The turf and soil from the top were placed in the bottom 

 of the hole, and were firmly trodden down. The trees planted 

 in this way have done well, and will probably repay the extra 

 trouble. 



2. Planting on Clay. — When planting is done on clay land, 

 the necessary holes should be dug some weeks before the planting 

 is to be done. This saves much extra expense, and permits the 

 plants to establish themselves much more quickly, owing to the 

 mellowing and weathering of the soil. A few night frosts greatly 

 assist the mellowing process. When the soil turned up has 

 become sufficiently fine, and planting begins, the plants should be 

 trodden in very firmly, and the turf should be replaced with the 

 grass side up. This helps to prevent the soil from cracking, as 

 it sometimes does in summer, when it may open down to the roots 

 of the plants. Another means of preventing cracking is, when 

 brushing round the plant, to draw all the cut grass close to it so 

 as to protect the roots from the heat of the sun. 



3. A Cheap Tree-guard. — When horses are grazed in parks, 



