03 Cultrcaiioiiof Grafs Land* Planting. TimberTrec* f Size of Plants ft r. 



When the fpade is employed, which mud be the cafe in deep fituations where 

 the plough cannot come, and where there are rocks, ftones, or other obftructions ; 

 in this method the bell planters advife, that the holes or pits fliould be made to the 

 full depth of the foil, and fufnciently large according to the fize of the trees. For 

 thofe of eighteen or twenty inches in height, whofe roots occupy about nine inches 

 when fpread out, holes of fifteen inches in diameter may be fufficient. This muft, 

 however, be regulated by the judgment of the planter. As it is of great advan 

 tage to the trees that the turfy matter mould be well broken down and reduced be 

 fore the time of planting, it may be ufeful to have holes made a proper length of 

 time before the trees are put in, to admit of this being fully effected, efpecially on 

 the drier and more light foils. 



From the defire of early appearance, it has been too much the cafe to plant fo- 

 reft-trees of too great growth. It is obvious, however, that there will be not only 

 much faving of expenfe, but a much greater certainty of fuccefs, in planting fmall 

 young trees than fuch as are large and of greater age. Such as have been in the 

 nurfery two, three, or four years, according to their kind, may in common be the 

 moft advantageous as timber-trees. Mr. Nicol obferves that &quot; deciduous trees of 

 all kinds, except the larch, of from threa to five feet in height, being carefully 

 raifed with good roots, will generally fucceed.&quot; He has, however,(hown, that a one 

 year s feedling larch, nurfed one or at moft two years, will outdo all others of its 

 kind in any foil or fituation, and therefore advifes planting trees of this age only. 

 Firs of any kind will fucceed better if under than above thirty inches, even in the 

 moft favourable foil and (ituation. Mod generally thofe of fifteen or eighteen in 

 ches in height are to be preferred. From this view of the fubjed:, it may occur 

 to fome, that to plant feedlings only would be the moft advifable and leaft expen- 

 live method. That it would be the leaft expenfive method is obvious ; but that 

 it is moft advifable, except for the Scotch and fpruce-firs, may, he thinks, be 

 difputed. 



&quot; As the chief property of any young tree, intended for tranfplantation, con- 

 fiftsin a multiplicity of healthy fibres, hence the neceffity of nurfing, in kindly 

 oil, fora year or two, all tap-rooted plants, for the attainment of this object, and 

 that we may commit them to the lefs genial foil and more untoward fituation with 

 greater probability of fuccefs. For, whether fhall we fuppofe the plant which 

 has both root and branch to make, or that which has the latter only, in the firft 

 feafon after fo important a change of habit, is more likely to fucceed ? The lat- 



