OF ARBORICULTURE IN YORKSHIRE. 139 



stagnant on their roots. Oak on the same ground was uninjured, 

 which may be from its roots drawing nourishment deeper in the 

 ground. The drainage of ground before planting, and the most 

 careful attention to drains afterwards, are of the greatest import- 

 ance to the profitable rearing of timber in a district such as above 

 described. 



Planting. — It is difficult to say what amount of care has been 

 bestowed on the selection of trees to form existing plantations, without 

 knowing what the primary object of planting may have been. It is 

 a common fault to find existing plantations formed exclusively of 

 oak, which when small fetches a comparatively small price. This 

 may be accounted for by the high price obtained for oak at the 

 time of the plantations being formed, but the object would have 

 been better attained by planting oak at suitable distances for the 

 permanent crop, and filling up between with larch and other kinds. 

 Much of the land, however, is very suitable for growing oak, a wood 

 which, when matured, commands a good price. Although larch 

 will not grow to a large size on clay lands, it thrives well until 

 it is suitable for coal-pit purposes, when a remunerative price 

 can be obtained for it. Young trees for planting are generally 

 obtained at public nurseries, of which there are several in the county, 

 some of large extent. Many proprietors prefer getting trees from 

 Scotland, being of opinion that trees grown under the influence 

 of a northern climate are more hardy, and succeed better after 

 removal. There is a good deal to be said in favour of this view. 

 It is a great shock for trees to be planted out in a bleak situation 

 after being crowded in a nursery ; and it appears a sound view, 

 that if reared in a colder and more ungenial climate, they will be 

 less susceptible to the change than if planted out in the locality 

 in which they have been nursed. This, however, only holds good 

 as regards trees of small size, as when plants are large the shorter 

 distance they are removed the better. The operation of planting 

 is generally done by digging pits 4 feet apart, which, in the low 

 clay lands, is the only suitable method. The same difficulty of pro- 

 tecting young trees from the ravages of hares and rabbits exists as 

 in other parts of the country, the only effectual cure being either to 

 have them all killed, or to put wire-netting round the whole of the 

 plantation. For several years after being planted, the young trees 

 are liable to suffer from late spring frosts, the ash and larch being 

 the varieties most affected. 



Pruning. — This is a branch of forestry that one does not see 



