SOIL AND PLANTING. 19 



We do no*t wish to be understood as recommending a 

 poor, thin soil, but we prefer a good mellow surface that 

 is not too rich, especially in organic manures, and that 

 would produce fair crops of grain ; on such the great ma- 

 jority of evergreens will develop that peculiar rich green 

 foliage which causes the family to be so universally ad- 

 mired. 



In all cases where the soil is not naturally in the above 

 condition, the drain-tile should invariably be used, as stag- 

 nant water, when allowed to remain in the vicinity of 

 roots, is sure to cause decomposition. In such cases, when 

 a tree is lifted, long, bare roots that are almost entirely 

 destitute of fibres, are found in the place of a mass of 

 small rootlets, ramifying in every direction. 



Another important consideration, and one that we pre- 

 sume our cultivators have entirely overlooked, is the fact 

 that different formations of soil tend to produce contrary 

 effects in many species of the Coniferae ; and the same spe- 

 cies that flourishes in a limestone soil, will not unfre- 

 quently languish on a talc-slate, or red shale. As regards 

 this indiscriminate planting without a proper observance 

 of the especial constitutional requirements of each tree, 

 we desire to call the attention of our readers to the fol- 

 lowing remarks of the Earl of Ducie, which originally ap- 

 peared in the Transactions of the Scottish Arboricul- 

 tural Society, a few years since : 



" As a general and sufficiently obvious rule, the Coniferaa 

 thrive in proportion to the depth of the surface soil on 

 which they stand. This is especially the case with the 

 Deodar and Finns insignis. The rule does not, however, 

 appear to apply invariably to Abies Douglasii, as I pos- 

 sess specimens growing as vigorously on the cold and 

 sterile shales of the carboniferous limestone, as others on 

 the deep and warm soil of the old red sandstone. 



" The most fastidious of the Coniferse which I have had 

 an opportunity of observing, is, undoubtedly, Cryptome- 



