1.52 



trees were planted twenty-two years ago, where, 

 for want of open ditches at the sides of the 

 fields, their roots were covered with standing water, 

 for six months of the year for the first ten years 

 after planting, but still these trees, as they in- 

 creased in size, dried the ground for a number of 

 yards round their roots, and some of the trees were 

 sold last year at L.3, 13s. per tree. It is a known 

 fact, that to put the roots of a willow, a poplar, 

 a larch, a spruce, or Scotch fir tree, (say plant) 

 into a bottle with pure water, with the top out, 

 sealing up the mouth to keep out the air, that these 

 and all other soft wood trees will grow and thrive till 

 they absorb all the water. It has been proved and is 

 proveable, that an acre of soft wood trees, larch, &c. 

 planted at three feet, plant from plant, will absorb 

 from eight to ten thousand gallons of water, if 

 all healthy and thriving the second year,x after be- 

 ing planted, and an extra quantity always annually, 

 as they increase in size, this supposing them kept near- 

 ly dry on the surface, and yet these kinds of trees 

 will grow and thrive where the tenth part of that 

 moisture is not to be found, but in these cases, they 

 inhale their moisture from the air, and it descends 

 from the foliage by the bark to the roots. To return 

 to the method of draining, let us suppose we are to 

 drain 100 acres of bog, taking a finite for an in- 

 definite number ; the first thing to be found out is the 

 level of the surface, and to whichever end or part of 

 the ground there is a descent, to this place the drains 

 are to be made to lead the water ; and supposing the 

 ground to be exceedingly wet, so as not to be drain- 

 able by planting alone, at the lowest decending spot, 

 let there be five acres for every hundred marked out, 



I 



