CHAPTER XI. 



PLANTING EXPOSED GEOUND. 



THERE are many difficulties to encounter in planting 

 high-lying and exposed ground that one would never have to 

 think about in low-lying and sheltered situations. Planting, 

 for instance, should not be commenced until March, as, by 

 so doing, the newly-inserted plants will be fresh and 

 vigorous, and ready for an immediate start to growth, which 

 would not be the case if they had been put out in autumn 

 and subjected to the amount of twisting and shaking that is 

 always the case on exposed ground. 



The choice of trees, too, for planting on wind-swept 

 ground is a matter of far more moment than is generally 

 considered, for that there are certain species of trees 

 peculiarly suitable for withstanding prolonged storms is 

 well known to everyone who has had anything to do with 

 the forming of woods and plantations at high altitudes. 

 The size of trees planted has also much to do with the after 

 success of the woods, and it may be well at the outset to say 

 that these should not exceed about 12 in. in height on the 

 most favoured sites to about from 6 in. to 9 in. on the more 

 exposed grounds. They should also be properly prepared 

 by frequent careful transplanting for the situations they arti 

 intended to occupy, as it can hardly be expected that a young 

 and immature tree can, after being brought from a probably 

 sheltered lowland nursery as nine-tenths of those in this 

 country are to a high piece of ground, where at times the 

 wind blows with terrific fury, and where one can scarcely 

 stand upright, have sufficient stamina to stand against such 



93 



