PRACTICAL FORESTRY. 



space around each, but detest, in a most marked manner, 

 continuous masses or jungles of underwood. 



In selecting sites for the various groups, be careful to 

 choose the most open positions, avoiding as much as possible 

 planting immediately under the spread of trees; and, if 

 practicable, so arrange that in viewing the wood from any 

 point the eye may not pass along a straight bare unplanted 

 space, but become arrested by the various clumps in passing 

 to the farther side- 



Having arranged the positions of the various clumps, the 

 pits should be opened of a size, and at a distance apart 

 suitable for the plants intended to be used, taking care that 

 they are sufficiently large to avoid cramping or bending of 

 the roots, which in all cases should b3 spread out to their 

 full extent. In making the pits, it is well to thoroughly 

 loosen the soil in the bottom and sides with a pick, so as to 

 give the tender rootlets a free course when starting into 

 growth in spring. Should the soil be found of inferior 

 quality, a few loads of leaf mould, road-scrapings, or loam from 

 an adjoining field will be found to work wonders in the way, 

 of giving the plants a start, and also by producing a strong, 

 healthy growth. Drainage should also have been attended 

 to previous to opening the pits, and all stagnant water or 

 superfluous moisture removed by the formation of open 

 drains. 



In giving a list of the best evergreen shrubs for covert 

 purposes, I would call attention particularly to the merits of 

 laurel, box, privet, laurustinus, holly, and yew, as these have 

 been very extensively used for underwood, and with the best 

 possible results. As to which of the above shrubs should 

 receive pre-eminence as an ornamental covert plant I 

 cannot decide, each having some peculiar merit rendering 

 it valuable in its own particular place. We will for the 

 present, however, consider all alike .in this respect, and 

 briefly describe the value of each separately, beginning with 

 the laurel. 



The Common and Colchic laurels are amongst our best 

 shrubs for underwood, and should be planted extensively; 

 they are of free growth, bear cutting and pruning well, and 



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