56 PLANTING. 



the bark, which tends to preserve the wood from the effects of moisture 

 and air*. 



Draining is essential wherever stagnant moisture prevails in the soil. 

 Boggy lands and tenuccous clays are chiefly the soils wjiich require it, for 

 trees will thrive in a degree of moisture that would be highly hurtful to the 

 nutritive grasses, and to corn crops. Under drains are of little service 

 for forest-trees, as their roots soon render these ineffective. In general, 

 therefore, open cuts should be used. Where the excess of dampness is 

 caused by springs, as in most bogs and morasses, it is essential to ascer- 

 tain the source of the principal springs which feed the secondary ones, and 

 their numerous outlets over the surface. Sub-aquatic plants, as the alder, 

 rushes, &c., often point out the spots where the search should be made, 

 although these plants are frequently supported by stagnant surface water. 

 Boring with the auger is the best mode of ascertaining the source of the 

 spring, or at least that level of its course in the strata which conducts the 

 water to the boggy land, and where it can be effectually cut off from sup- 

 plying the secondary springs and outlets in the lower levels. When the 

 source is ascertained, a drain should be cut to the depth of the strata 

 through which it passes, so as to obstruct its progress. It should be 

 made sufficiently deep, or the water will continue to pass under it, and the 

 work will be useless. From this main drain formed across the declivity, 

 other secondary drains should be made to conduct the water thus collected, 

 from the source to the most convenient outlet. It would be incompatible 

 with the space of these pages to enter into details of this subject. Elking- 

 ton's mode of draining, as given in Johnstone's Treatise on the subject, is 

 on the above principle, and shews with precision the advantages of it, and 

 with how much facility lands, which by the old method of draining were 

 considered incapable of being profitably improved, may be made fit for 

 planting and returning a valuable produce of timber. 



Clayey soils which are rendered barren by surface water stagnating upon 

 them, may be made to produce valuable timber by the simple process of 

 constructing open drains, and forming the surface between these into 

 ridges, as before mentioned in Chapter III. 



On steep acclivities, rocky soils, and thin heath, or moor lands, incum- 

 bent on rock or shale, where ploughing or trenching is impracticable, a 

 depth of pulverized soil cannot be obtained for the reception of the roots 

 of trees of more than two, or at most three years' growth; the mattock 

 planter, diamond dibble, and spade, can be used with the best effect. To 

 attempt any more expensive preparation on such lands, than may be made 

 by these implements for the reception of the individual plants, would be 

 injudicious. The number of valuable woods which have been reared in 

 this way, are too generally known to need particular mention here. The 

 t may be stated to be from two to five pounds per acre. For the pre- 

 paration of heath soils, incumbent on sand or loose gravel, an improved 

 paring plough (fis. 9 and 10), which we call Fyshe Palmer's planting 

 plou^ht, is a valuable implement. 



The plough consists of two mold boards as in common use, but resting 

 on a triangular and somewhat convex plate of iron (Jig. 9). This iron 



* It is the opinion of sonic practical persons, tliai the hark heing left on larch poles, 

 encourages or attracts inserts to nestle under it, and thereby hastens the decay of the 

 '.. unless it happen that the trees are cut down in winter, or when the sap is down. 

 Mr. I. 



t Charles Fyshe Palmer, F.stj. M.I', in planting a large tract of waste land on his 

 e*t;i' ' Mi-t in Berkshire, after various trials, found this plough which he invented 



a most effective implement in paring off the heath-turf. It economises time as well as 

 expense. 



