56 THE LARCH. 



The ground should, as far as possible, be laid off into 

 square plots, and suitably divided with roads and 

 walks. In lining out the plants into the nursery, one- 

 year seedlings, to stand only one year, are put in about 

 10 inches line from line, and about twenty-five plants 

 to the yard. In planting two-year-old seedlings, to 

 stand two years in the nursery, they should stand i6 

 to 1 8 inches from line to line, and twelve to sixteen 

 plants to the yard. 



If the plants are laid by the piece, about sixpence 

 per thousand is paid for the work, including all manual 

 labour. Although seedlings do best on light sandy soils, 

 yet it must be borne in mind that if it is too arid the 

 plants become scorched and burnt up in very hot and 

 dry weather, and when a high wind occurs, as in last 

 May, the beds are very liable to be damaged by removal 

 of both soil and seeds. At Forres, in Morayshire, last 

 spring (i88o), the seed-beds suffered severely by the 

 wind blowing and removing the earth, seeds and all, 

 thus producing the crop too thick in one place and too 

 thin in another. Better, however, to run the risk of 

 an occasional wind-blow than sow the seed in clay soil, 

 which is quite unsuitable for it. 



Plants are injured at a much earlier period of growth 

 than is generally suspected. The first year in the 

 nursery bed they not unfrequently sustain injury from 

 over- crowding, which they never overcome. If, how- 

 ever, they escape the first year, they seldom altogether 

 escape the second, if the growth is at all luxuriant. 

 What applies to the bed applies equally to the line, 



