118 THE PRACTICAL PLANTER. 



apace in youth, which constitutes the chief 

 property of a nurse. 



In maritime situations, the Sycamore is 

 eminently useful for this purpose. Few trees 

 grow faster in youth, (perhaps only the pre- 

 ceding) and none are more patient of the sea 

 breeze. Consequently, when the site is much 

 exposed thereto, this tree should be freely 

 planted in mixture with the Elder and the 

 Larch, for nursing the Oak, Beech, Elm, &c. 

 if the intention is the culture of ship timber; 

 an object so desirable, that the culture of all 

 others here ought to become secondary. 



The Native Pine has long been planted as 

 a nurse, but the practice is now much relin- 

 quished. Nor is it founded in reason ; since 

 there is no soil or situation in which the 

 Larch and Mountain-Ash will not far sur- 

 pass it in growth while young. Neverthe- 

 less, when variety is the object, it should not 

 entirely be excluded a few may be inter- 

 spersed. 



Others than the above named cannot pro- 

 perly be enumerated as* nurses in the forest. 



'* Nurses in the Shrubbery, or decorative plantations, 

 may consist of a much greater variety. All kinds of 



