PLANTING. 107 



thins none at all. Wherefore, I again re- 

 peat, that thick, rather than thin planting, 

 is the safer side to err on. By which mode, 

 also, there is a more equal crop on the 

 ground, beeting being much less necessary. 



And here I cannot help observing the very 

 erroneous idea of those, who, in all situa- 

 tions, plant the thinner in proportion as the 

 plants are larger. For my own part, did I 

 approve of planting with large plants, I would 

 act diametrically opposite. And surely 

 proofs are not wanting every season to sup- 

 port me in this resolution ; since, in all soils 

 and situations, we find not one small for three 

 large plants fail, if impartially treated. 



In respect of arrangement, i. e. whether 

 the trees be planted in lines or promiscu- 

 ously, I hold it a matter of little moment. 

 It can have no effect whatever on the growth 

 or future welfare of the plants. And by the 

 time the plantation is finally thinned out, it 

 necessarily becomes irregular, although plant- 

 ed in line ; since it is the distance of the 

 tops, not of the roots, which must regulate 

 the thinning. Nor does the head of every 

 tree rise perpendicular to its root : some stand 



