SEASIDE PLANTING. 



none surpass, the sea buckthorn (Hippophse rhamnoides), 

 Tamarisk (Tamarix gallica), the common elder, hazel, white- 

 thorn, and at least three species of willow Balix Caprea, 

 S. helix, and S. alba. Immediately behind this, screen, pits 

 of not less than 2 ft. in diameter and about 18 in. in depth 

 may be formed, and it will be all the better if a length of 

 time is allowed to elapse previous to their being planted. 

 The bottom and side of each pit should, where found neces- 

 sary, be loosened with a pick, and if the soil is found to be of 

 very inferior quality, it will be well, more especially where 

 such can be readily obtained, to add a spadeful or two from 

 some adjoining field. 



Planting should not be commenced before March or April, 

 an early start at growth being much in favour of young 

 trees that have but recently been transferred to the sea- 

 coast. The plants to be used should not exceed, say, 18 in. 

 in height, but should be of strong growth in proportion to 

 their size, and supplied with an abundance of fibrous roots, 

 lanky, ill-grown, and coddled plants having but a poor chance 

 of succeeding under such adverse circumstances. 



In planting keep the strongest roots seaward, and do not 

 place the trees at a greater depth in the soil than they stood 

 whilst in the nursery border, this latter being an oft-com- 

 mitted mistake that is productive of anything but favourable 

 results. Immediately behind this raised mound of turf, or 

 the dead fence of branches above described, the best trees 

 for withstanding the first brunt of the sea-breeze are the 

 sycamore, elm, and willow amongst hardwoods, and the 

 Austrian and cluster pines (Pinus austriaca and P. Pinaster,, 

 to which might be added P. laricio, P. sylvestris, and P. 

 pumilio, amongst conifers. These are all well tried subjects, 

 and may be relied upon as peculiarly suited for doing 

 battle with hard-blowing and long-continued storms on the 

 sea-coast. 



Kegarding the merits of the cluster pine for seaside 

 planting, it would be almost superfluous for me to speak ; 

 while the elm and sycamore send out their stout branches into 

 the very teeth of the blast, and are known as peculiarly 

 well suited for such situations. 



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