PLANTING AND PLANTATIONa 



PLANTING AND PLANTATIONa 



graving wiM and uncontrolled. PUnU Indeed may be instanced 

 whoM root* have bean observed in one situation penetrating to the 

 depth of four or fire feet; or in another, creeping along the surface, 

 amongst ctonea, or into the crericea of rocka, with scarcely aoil to 

 cover them, aa for example in the Tin*. But although roota can 

 usually accommodate themaelve* to that position which tie nature of 

 the situation renders it alone poaaible for them to occupy, yet there 

 can be no doubt that in all canes the extremities of the rooU should be 

 lower than where they diverge from the stem, a rule which, however 

 clf-evident it may be, is frequently vi..Utl in practice by making a 

 baain-ahaped hole, deepft in the middle, in which the rooU are either 

 doubled or hare their extremities tending upwards on the sloping sides 

 of the cavity. 



The excavation for the reception of the roota of a plant should be 

 considerably brgcr than thoee roota will traverse when extended at the 

 time of planting. It should be aa wide at bottom as at top. The 

 bottom ahould be more or leas convex, and the depth such as to admit 

 of the roota being covered to the extent observed in undisturbed 

 seedling plants of the same species ; that is to aay, the upper port of 

 the root should only be just covered. The lower roots should be 

 regularly disposed over the convex bottom of the excavation, and 

 carefully strewed with some of the finer portion of anil, over which the 

 other roots may be spread. More soil should then be carefully rather 

 than forcibly introduced. There should be no vacant spaces left, 

 except those of ao minute a description that they will be readily filled 

 up by the finer particles of earth washed down by a plentiful watering. 

 This* watering ahould be given when the aoil is nearly all filled in ; and 

 after the water has subsided so as not to stand above the surface, the 

 latter ahould be covered with the remaining portion of Boil. Except 

 in very loose or light soils, this method will supersede the necessity of 

 the hard beating and treading in to which the roots of tree* are very 

 generally subjected. The latter practice is now however being laid 

 aide by many, from a conviction of its injurious effects. It is also 

 necessary to remark that n plant should be placed, before the intro- 

 duction of the soil, exactly as it is intended it should xt-md ; and it 

 should not be pulled from side to side for the purpose of shaking the 

 earth amongst the roota. If the tree be drawn to one side, the fibres 

 of the root will also be drawn towards the same side ; but they are of 

 course too flexible to force their way back win n the tree is drawn in a 

 contrary direction, and they must therefore become more or leas 

 doubled. Nor should the soil be thrown aijaintt the fibres whil.-t the 

 roots are being covered ; it should be made fine, and either shaken 

 from the spade so as to fall perpendicularly among the roota, or 

 scattered by a force impelling it in the direction of the fibres, which 

 will be in general from the stem towards the extremities, or from the 

 centre to the circumference. 



The principles here stated are applicable to the planting of Urge 

 aa well aa small trees, and in fact to any terrestrial species of plant. 

 There are, however, many modifications in practice, some of which 

 may be noticed as proper under certain circumstances, and others as 

 only to be condemned under any circumstances whatever. 



Small plants are very frequently inserted by the ilibljrr, n cylindrical 

 piece of wood, shod with iron and tapering to a point. This is 

 thrust into the soil, and in the hole formed by this means the roots 

 of the plant are introduced, and a portion of soil pressed towards 

 them by a second stroke of the dibber. It is evident, however, that 

 by this procedure the roots cannot be in the most natural position ; 

 they are in fact the very reverse of being spread out to the beat 

 advantage. In the case of very valuable species the spade or planting- 

 trowel is used in preference to the dibber. The Utter boa nothing 

 to recommend it on the score of good principles in planting; the 

 expedition with which it can be employed is all that can be said in 

 Ha favour. 



Besides the spade and dibber, various other implements are used in 

 planting, such as the diamond dibbtr, a pointed pUte of steel with a 

 abort iron handle; a maltoet, used in stony soils; and some others, 

 adopted according to circumstances. In all cases, howi-vcr, wl 

 spade can be used, it is undoubtedly the best instrument. If the 

 oil be unfit for allowing the use of the spade, it should be rend.ud 

 fit previously; and if some time be lost and expense incurred by 

 using it instead of smaller and more expeditious, but at the name 

 time more cramping implements as regard* the roota, tin- ili 

 will certainly be ultimately in favour of a proper disposition of the 

 



With regard to the preparation of the soil for plantations, it is 

 found that trenching the ground is attended with profit where it is 

 practised for the purpose of rearing wood for fuel and small timber. 

 This mode of preparation ought likewise to be adopt*-.! where trees 

 are intended to be planted for ornament or for shelter. It has not 

 been generally attempted in the case of extensive plant*: 

 heath or nigged mountain-land. It may, however, be affirmed with- 

 out hesitation tliat great advantage* would be derived from the 

 operation being more extensively performed. Something more than 

 merely burying the roots of. hard w.xxled plants is thought necesaaiy, 

 and accordingly pit* are made. It in ncarcely necessary to observe that 

 if the*: are not of considerable sice, the direct progress of the root* 

 if soon obstructed. The time required to form these pita as they 

 ought to be, would be sufficient to regularly trench double their are*. 



The expense of trenching the intermediate spaces will be compensated 

 by the greater return derived from the nurse plant*, such as larch, 

 when they come to be removed. 



Plantation* are generally planted thick in the first instance, and 

 with various specie* of tree*. Larch, Scotch fir or pun-, mountain 

 ath, Ac., are interspersed amongst the hard wood for shelter, or aa 

 nunea. Laburnum is also useful for preserving the other aorta from 

 the depredations of hares, a* they prefer the laburnum to even 

 bark. Nurses are generally left till they ore lit for various purpose* 

 for which small timber is applicable. They should be planted closer 

 to each other than to the principal tree* intended to constitute the 

 in. TV immanent part of the plantation. 



After all the care of the planter and the dull with which tlu> 

 operation of removal may have been effected, much of the success of 

 a plantation depends on the proper adaptation of species to the soil* 

 and situations most suitable to them. 



The following remarks upon some of the timber-trees principally 

 cultivated may be useful. 



The oak, Quernu robur, and Q. tntiliflvra, prefers strong or even 

 clayey loam ; any soil not wet or chalky. 



Beech, t'aynt tylralica, calcareous soils, gravelly or sandy loam ; 

 dislikes stiff cUy. 



Kim, t'liuiu campatru, V. glabra, I', mnnlana, attains, near the 

 banks of riven, a large size ; thrives in most soil*. 



Ash, Fiitsiniu csrtUiar, prefers a dry subsoil ; dislikes stiff clsy. 



Plane, Platantu orientalit, rich warm noil, tolerably moist, but not 

 retentive. 



Sycamore, A cer picudo-Plala HIM, A. platanautet, best in rnoixt deep 

 soil, but will thrive in others not too stiff; withstands the sea- 

 breere. 



Chestnut, Caslanea vetea, deep sandy loam. 



Walnut, Ji'ylant regia, deep loam with a pervious subsoil ; dislikes 

 strong clay. 



Hickory, Carya alba, similar Boil to that required by the walnut. 



Acacia, or locust-tree, JMiinia pseud- Acacia, sandy loam; a sheltered 

 situation ; cannot bear storms. 



Birch, Jicluta alba, forms best timber on dry sandy or gravelly 

 soil. 



Laburnum, Cytiut aipiniu, any soil not too wet. 



White Bean, Pyna Aria, any good soil, with a pervious subsoil 

 dislikes wet cUy. 



Lime, Tilia L'ttroprta, soft deep loam, in low rather moist situations. 



Horse-Chestnut, lEtcitlus Hip2>oca*tanu,m, deep loam ; not in exposed 

 situations. 



1'oplar, Popului alba, P. canetcetu, P. nigra, P. trtmuIa ; P.f<utigiata, 

 P. Oraca, P. monilifera. These thrive in almost any soil, but best in 

 that which is deep and rather moist. 



Mountain- Ash, Pyria Aucuparia, any soil, wet cUy excepted ; 

 adapted for high situations. 



Alder, Alma ylutinuta, moist or even swampy soil. 



Willow, Saliz, of numerous species. Some thrive in rather dry soil, 

 but all prefer moist. 



Pine, Pin tu njlctttrit, P. Larieio, P. Pinatter, P. Strobut. The two 

 first are adapted for thin, rocky, gravelly soils ; they grow at a great 

 elevation on the warmest sides of mountains, but better in mountain 

 glens; they dislike stiff cUy and deep strong loam, and, like all coni- 

 ferous plant*, they do not thrive on chalk. P. Pinaster and J'. ,* 

 require a less exposed situation than the other two. 



Spruce, Abia exctUa, A. alba, A. rubra,A. niyra, deep moist soil, in 

 low situations ; dislikes thin sandy soil and exposure. 



Larch, Abiet Larix, adapted for thin mountain land, or any soil of 

 which the subsoil is not retentive, excepting, however, red sandstone 

 or chalk, o. above mentioned. 



Cedar of Lebanon, Abiet Cedrtu, any tolerably good soil, rather 

 deeper than for the larch, but a pervious subsoil, free from stagnant 

 water. 



Too close planting produces weak drawn-up timber, in consequence 

 of the tops only receiving a due shoru of light. It is ( 

 most magnificent trees are found in those am->ir 

 never been sown, planted, or thinned by tin- li.uul ..f mm. lint at the 

 some time it will not be denied, that whriwi r niiui.il forests exist, 

 the soil and situation niii-t be exceedingly favourable for tlu> 

 produced; and that although thousands sprung up more tli.m 

 possibly find room to attain perfection, yet those only that \v. 

 most favourably circumstanced and most vigorous would continue; 

 and when once their tops got completely above those of the ;; 

 mas*, the latter must have inevitably fallen into decay. There is no 

 reason, however, to suppose that those which maintained their gi 

 .mil. I'.ivoured by pmpitiou* soil, became lofty specimens, would not 

 have been benefited by the assistance of the axe to n 

 sooner from their rival*. 



n the contrary, trees are planted at too great a distance 

 each other, they are inclined to ramify into largo limbs an 

 tops, with a stem short but much thicker than where the space admits 

 of leas expansion of foliage. If therefore very thick timber "f no great 

 length be required, wide planting is proper; but if Ull timber be the 

 object, the plantation must be moderately thick. 



The care which plantations require from year to year consists in 



