40 



PLANTING. 



iim its number of roots and rootlets, and, at the same time, improving the 

 quality of the exhalations from the soil, for absorption by the leaves, which 

 is. in fact, an amelioration of the local climate or air. All these important 

 points to the health of the tree, to the value of its timber, and to the 

 attainment of the object in view, a valuable return in the shortest space of 

 time for the capital expended, are thus highly promoted, and, in a great 

 measure, secured by trenching, manuring 1 , and keeping clean of weeds or 

 .surface culture for a limited period after planting-. As an answer to 

 the important question, will the sum expended in trenching and manuring 

 be returned with interest and profit in proportion to those of the lesser 

 sum required for planting on unprepared land, Mr. Withers has brought 

 forward lads and observations to which we shall revert when discussing 

 .bject of the valuation of timber trees. 



The proper distances at which young forest trees should be planted on 

 their timber sites depends on the natural habits of growth of the different 

 species, the nature and preparation of the soil, and the size of the plants 



. 



The larch, spruce, and pine require less space than the oak, chestnut, 

 flm, \c. The nature of the soil will determine the peculiar species of 

 trees which should predominate in the plantation, and point out the dis- 

 tances at which they should be placed. If the soil is thin and of a light 

 texture, the fir tribe should occupy the largest proportion, if not the whole 

 space of land ; if clayey, the oak, elm, ash, &c., should be the principal trees 

 in the design ; and, if a deep sandy soil, or if the soil be calcareous, elevated 

 land, the beech, hornbeam, &c., ought to have the preference all with 

 the \iew to the ultimate produce of timber. The following table may be 

 useful for readily pointing* out the number of trees required for a statute 

 acre of land, when planted at any of the undermentioned distances : 



DUUnc* apart. 



Number of Planti. 

 435 



360 

 302 

 257 

 222 

 193 

 170 

 150 

 134 

 122 

 108 



69 



49 



In profitable forest-tree planting, the nearest distance at which young 

 trees should be planted on their timbei sites, is a \ard, or three feet, and 

 IpaCC I'm- feet; the medium distance of four feet plant from 

 ought to be, that most generally adopted. Seedlings of three 

 :<io\\th, or plants which have remained two years in the seed-bed 

 and one Near in ti an- planted nursery rows, should be planted on their timber 

 -rt apart c\ers \\ ay, it being understood at the same time that the 

 soil is thin, liiiht, or sandy, and that the slit or holing in method of plant- 

 ing is u>rd. Hut should the soil have been prepared by ploughing and 

 tivnrhing, and be in a clean fallow state, the medium distance of four 

 :id a hall feet, if the species of trees to be planted are ex- 

 '\ of the fir or pine tribe, will be the most proper. Trees of the 

 "w alluded to will vary in sixe from nine to twenty inches in 

 exclusive of some species of poplar, elm, &c., which grow faster 

 thu the generality of forest trees. Jn well-prepared Ian dof a deeper surface 



