6 112 Cultivation of Grafs Land. Planting. Timber-Trees, Setting, c. 



pccially thofe of the clayey and loamy kinds, and with the lefs hardy forts of trees, 

 the early fpring fcufon, as from the middle or latter end of February to the begin 

 ning of April, may be the moft proper. The condition of the land fhould 

 be particularly attended to in this bufmefs, as it is equally improper to plant 

 when either in too dry or too moift a (ituation. It has been well remarked, that &quot;at 

 a time when the foil is neither wet nor dry, the operation of planting is mod ca 

 ll ly, and alfo moft fuccefs fully, performed. The mould adheres not to the fpade, 

 nor does it run in ; it divides well, and with little trouble intermingles with the fi 

 bres; nor, in the operation of treading and fetting the plant upright, is it wrought 

 into a mortar, to the evident prejudice of the plant, whatever weather may enfue. 

 Confequently, on a retentive foil, it cannot be proper to plant in time of rain, nor 

 in many cafes for a day or two afterwards ; nor after a fall of fnow, until for feve- 

 ral days it has entirely difappeared. Whereas, on a dry abforbent foil, it may be 

 very proper to plant in time of gentle rains, immediately after heavy ones,*&quot; or 

 -on the fnow difappearing. 



The differences in the forwardnefs of the vegetation of different forts of trees 

 fhould alfo regulate in fomemeafure the time of planting, where thofe of the fame 

 forts are only made ufe of. In this view, it is advifed that the larcl^elm/ycamore, 

 lime, horfe-chefnut, mountain-afh, birch, alder, poplar, willow, &c. fhould 

 be put in by the beginning of March : and that the oak, birch, afh, chefnut, horn 

 beam, &c. be finiflied planting by the beginning of April at the lateft. The beft 

 feafon for the planting of many trees of the evergreen kind, fuch as the Wey mouth 

 pine, fpruce, Scotch, lilver, and other firs, is fuppofed by fome to be in the latter 

 end of July, or in the following month, when the weather is moift or cloudy. 



After the trees have been taken up with care, fo as to injure the fibres of the roots 

 as little as poffible, and a few of the bruifed extremities cut off, they fhould, when 

 intended to be planted in mixture, be put together in proper proportions, and con 

 veyed in this way to the place where they are to be planted. They muft then be 

 diftributed on the ground, at the pits or other place, in order to be ready for the 

 planters, as by this means much time is faved, which would othervvife be loft in 

 forting. But to prevent the roots from getting too dry, it is neceflary not to take 

 up, or bring on to the land more than can be planted in a fhort fpace of time. 



* Nicol oa Planting. 



