P L A 



P L A 



variety be discovered, to mark it ; which is the 

 only method to preserve both the purity of the 

 known sorts, and to procure new varieties. 

 For example, if amongst the Hotspurs any large 

 sorts appear, they should be removed directly ; 

 also any Hotspurs, See,, from amongst the large 

 kinds, and different sorts of any of these from 

 each other ; and if any new sort discovers itself 

 either by flowering earlier than all the rest, or 

 possessing some other singularity, or noticeable 

 merit for culture, it should be carefully marked, 

 the seed being saved separate, to sow separately 

 for furnishing a proper increase. 



According as the seeds of the different sorts 

 ripen in July and August, which is discoverable 

 by the pods changing brown, and the seed be- 

 coming a little hard, the haum should be cut or 

 pulled up in dry weather, and exposed in heaps 

 in the sun, turning them every day ; and when 

 the seed is become perfectly dry and hard, it 

 may either be threshed out directly, or stacked 

 up in a dry situation till another opportunity : 

 but when threshed, each sort must be kept se- 

 parate, and when properly cleaned be put up in 

 saeks with the name of each upon them. 

 PLANE TREE. See Platan us. 

 PLANTAIN TREE. See Heliconia. 

 PLANTATION, a large collection of differ- 

 ent sorts of trees, planted out cither for orna- 

 ment, or the advantage of the wood as timber, 

 or for both purposes. 



Plantations of these kinds not only afford 

 great improvement to estates, but are highly or- 

 namental to the country. They should there- 

 fore be more particularly attended to where there 

 are large tracts of poor barren lands that cannot 

 be converted to the more profitable purposes of 

 tillage or grass. 



They have also a fine effect in the vicinity of 

 habitations and pleasure-grounds. And in 

 many cases the proprietors of estates, whether 

 of large or moderate sizes, may reap great plea- 

 sure and advantage in allotting a part of them to 

 this use, as they give grandeur as well as an air of 

 fertility ; and, alter the first eight or ten years, 

 in many cases bring in great profit by the gradual 

 thinning of the underwood, besides leaving a 

 sufficiency of standards to attain full growth. 



The expense attending the making of Planta- 

 tions, and the knowing that they must wait seve- 

 ral years before the trees have made any consi- 

 derable progress, or can afford any advantage, 

 often prove an obstacle in attempting the pro- 

 secution of the business ; but the expense of 

 planting where the plants are raised on the 

 grounds, will not be so great as may be imagined, 

 especially as a small spot of nursery-ground 

 will raise plants enough in three or four years, 



to plant a great many acres of land, and the 

 expense of raising and planting, with the loss of 

 lime in waning until the plants attain some 

 growth, will be compensated by the first fall or 

 thinning, in eight or ten years after planting ; 

 and the stools which remain shoot up again, in 

 many of the deciduous kinds, and afford a lop- 

 ping every eight or ten years, exclusively of the 

 due portion of standards left at proper distances, 

 to attain full growth for timber. 



In making Plantations, it is necessarv to 

 choose such trees as are the best adapted to the 

 nature of the particular soil and situation. 



As to the proper sorts of trees or shrubs, 

 most of the deciduous and ever-green kinds may 

 be employed with propriety, and young plants, 

 of from about two or three to five or ten feet 

 in height, always prove more successful than 

 such as are older; for although some, from their 

 being in haste to have Plantations as forward as 

 possible, transplant tall trees, perhaps twelve or 

 fifteen feet high or more, especially for those 

 of the ornamental kind; those of younger 

 growth always take root sooner, and establish 

 themselves more firmly, so as to form consider- 

 ably the finest Plantations at last, and are of 

 longest duration : for though large trees of from 

 fifteen to twenty feet in height, especially of the 

 deciduous kind, may with care be transplanted, 

 so as to grow, and probably thrive tolerably for 

 some years, yet by not rooting firmly like young 

 plants, they often fail, and after some years' 

 standing have hardly made any shoots, and at 

 last gradually dwindle and perish. Large trees 

 should of course never be employed except on 

 particular occasions, where a few may be neces- 

 sary to form an immediate shade or blind, &cc. 

 in some particular place : but for general work, 

 young plants, either raised, or purchased from 

 the nurseries, should be made use of. And for 

 principal Timber Plantations in particular, such 

 plants as are only from about two or three, to 

 five or six feet in height, or eight or ten at most, 

 must be employed, having those of the same 

 Plantation, as nearly of equal growth as possi- 

 ble. See Planting. 



Where Plantations are intended principally 

 for ornament, as great a variety as possible of 

 the different sorts of hardy trees and shrubs 

 should be employed, and should consist of lofty 

 and middling growing trees, as well as of 

 shrubs. See Deciduous and Evek-green 

 Trees, 



In regard to the disposition of the plants, 

 the deciduous and ever-green kinds may be 

 planted in separate compartments, or in mix- 

 ture, and sometimes the tree-kinds by them- 

 selves, some iu running varying Plantations, 



