34 PLANTING. 



a supernatural process of pruning and top-reducing, 

 which, to a considerable extent, explains the mystery 

 regarding their growth, which, though exceptionally 

 slow at first, became ultimately so rapid. 



In 1858, in the parish of Oxnam, the writer planted 

 a considerable number of trees of various sizes and 

 sorts for ornamental purposes, comprising oak, lime, 

 sycamore, and horse-chestnut. The district was well 

 furnished with pine plantations, but few hardwoods of 

 any sort. Much of the arable land of the district, 

 though in a comparatively high state of cultivation, 

 is nevertheless naturally thin and poor. The subsoil, 

 too, is uncongenial to most sorts of hardwoods. An 

 effort was made to clothe the barren and bare road- 

 sides by introducing hardwoods, which would form 

 a pleasing contrast to the dull pine plantations 

 and square fields around. Two difficulties at the 

 outset stood in the way, neither of which was easy 

 to surmount. The one was a want of the proper sort 

 of trees at command ; the other an unsuitable soil. 

 Operations of planting, however, were commenced, and 

 carried out as best they could upon a somewhat ex- 

 tensive scale. The lime-trees were originally grown 

 in an advanced private nursery a few miles distant, 

 with a view of transplanting for immediate effect. 

 The trees were thoroughly well rooted, having been, 

 while in the nursery, several times lifted and trans- 

 planted for the express purpose of improving their 

 roots, and were from 8 to 10 feet high, well clothed 

 with branches, and altogether forming handsome trees, 

 and likely to do well. In planting, the pits were 

 duly prepared, soil was taken from the fields adjoining, 

 and put into them to encourage their growth. After 

 planting supports were put to them to ensure stability 



