132 Avoidable waste in planting 



and where the water stands however Hght the rainfall 

 may be. Where the surface soil in such cases is not 

 deep, and an outfall can be found — not an easy matter 

 on level tracts — the surface water can be led off by 

 open drains, but when the peat is deep the water will 

 not subside below the drain levels. 



Some of the best German foresters hold that in many 

 soils the best system is that of having trees of different 

 ages, different kinds, and different times of cutting, and 

 of planting the trees according to soil and situation. It 

 is certainly a better way than the level mixture of trees 

 which has to adapt itself to all conditions. The massing 

 way also leads to beauty, as by its means we keep and 

 accentuate any varied incidents of.the surface. Planting 

 Austrian Pine, Larch, Scotch Fir, and Beech on the 

 drier ground, Spruce, Sitka Spruce, and Douglas Fir in 

 the sheltered and moist hollows, Oak, Ash, Sycamore, 

 and Elm on the cool ground, and Poplar, Willow, and 

 Alder wherever the soil is deep and moist, is a better 

 plan than the mixing together on the same soil of kinds 

 no two of which are ahke in their wants. 



Trenching. Trenching does not add to the staple of 

 poor soils such as are generally planted with forest 

 trees, useful though it may be in rich garden ground 

 where a rank, quick growth is sought. Even if we can 

 face the great cost of trenching, the labour is not always 

 to be had. I have seen a country-side denuded of 

 labourers in order to trench ground for planting, and 

 the result no better than could have been got by a 

 plough run through the land, or even if the trees had 

 been planted in the sod. One of the best things about 

 a wood is that it finds its own soil, and if we plant 

 closely and well, and choose the right trees, it very soon 



