CHAPER XVI 



AVOIDABLE WASTE IN PLANTING 



Everything which tends to simpHfy planting is a 

 gain, and much of the work given to it is needless and 

 wasteful, particularly trenching and draining— two costly 

 labours. I live in a cool country with a wet soil, and 

 never drain for any kind of planting in woods, but 

 adapt the trees to the soil, which is the true way. 

 There are trees, American and European, that will 

 almost stand in water and be none the worse for it. 



Another costly and needless labour is trenching. 

 I have young woods of Pine planted in poor fields not 

 of very good soil, and people say they have never seen 

 woods more vigorous for their age, yet the ground was 

 neither trenched nor dug for them. The poor hill-lands 

 that are now recognized as worth planting seldom need 

 draining, as they are often naturally drained. One of 

 the pleas for planting such lands is that it arrests denu- 

 dation and conserves the moisture and fertility of the 

 soil. And even where the soil is too wet much can be 

 done to drain it by a good choice of kinds — Poplars, 

 Willows, and Spruce are good drainers. 



Draining. In certain cases, owing to a uniform low- 

 ness of surface, draining may be needed, but in much 

 forest work it is not. Light sandy soils and hill soils 

 seldom need draining, except when they lie upon a hard 

 pan, such as is here and there found in peaty districts, 



K 2 



