PLANTATION, PLANTING. 



any tolerably good soil, rather deeper 

 than for tlic laich, but a i)orvl»»us sub- 

 soil, free from slaiumaiil water. 



"Too close planting produces weak, 

 drawn-iip timber, in consciiucnco of 

 the tops only receivinir a due share 

 of liiibl. It is true liiat tlie most 

 magnificent trees arc found in those 

 ancient forests that have never been 

 sowed, planted, or thinned by the 

 hand of man ; but, at the same time, 

 it will not be denied that, wherever 

 natural forests exist, the soil and sit- 

 uation must be exceedingly favoura- 

 ble for the species produced ; and 

 that, although thousands sprung up 

 more than could possibly find room 

 to attain perfection, yet those only 

 that were the most favourably cir- 

 cumstanced and most vigorous would 

 continue ; and when once tiieir tops 

 got completely above those of the 

 general mass, the latter must have 

 inevitably fallen into decay. There 

 is no reason, however, to suppose 

 that those which maintained their 

 ground, and, favoured by propitious 

 soil, became lofty specimens, would 

 not have been benefited by the assist- 

 ance of the axe, to relieve them soon- 

 er from their rivals. 



" If, on the contrary, trees are 

 planted at too great a distance from 

 each other, they are inclined to ram- 

 ify into large limbs and spreading 

 tops, with a stem short, but much 

 thicker than where the space admits 

 of less expansion of foliage. If, there- 

 fore, very thick timber of no great 

 length be required, wide planting is 

 proper ; but if tall timber be the ob- 

 ject, the plantation must be moder- 

 ately thick. 



" The care which plantations re- 

 quire from year to year consists in 

 making up deficiencies, thinning, and 

 pruning. Deficiencies seldom occur 

 if the planting be at first duly per- 

 formed ; and every endeavour should 

 be used to prevent the necessity of 

 making up. This is always done 

 with considerable disadvantage to 

 the plants thiis introduced, unless the 

 spaces be trenched ; hut in that case, 

 if the species of tree be properly 

 chosen, the plants may do well in 

 586 



consequence of the shelter afforded 

 by the older surrounding individuals. 



"Thinning should be connnenced 

 in due time. No branch of the tem- 

 porary trees should, by any means, 

 overhang the top, or even branches of 

 those that are permanent. The sliel- 

 ter on the most exposed sides of the 

 plantation should be formed of ro- 

 bust, vigorous-growing kinds, and it 

 should be allowed to remain unbro- 

 ken. Plantations that have been neg- 

 lected till they have formed a dense 

 thicket must be thinned gradually ; 

 for if thinned at once, those left would 

 be injured by the sudden ex|)osure, 

 and would be blown over by winds. 



" Pruning is an important opera- 

 tion in the management of planta- 

 tions, but it is often improperly prac- 

 tised, for want of the knowledge of a 

 few physiological facts, which are es- 

 sentially necessary to be stated be- 

 fore any rules for pruning can be 

 properly given. If these facts be un- 

 derstood, few rules will be required, 

 but otherwise a volume of directions 

 are liable to be misapplied. It ought, 

 therefore, to be understood, that the 

 sap ascends from the stem chiefly 

 through the alburnum, or outer layers 

 of young wood. It then enters the 

 leaves, when it is exposed to the in- 

 fluence of light. Having, in conse- 

 quence, undergone an elaboration, it 

 descends on the outside of the albur- 

 num, that is to say, through the inner 

 bark ; the internal surface of the lat- 

 ter possessing a great degree of lu- 

 bricity, whereby the passage of a por- 

 tion of the juices, at least, is facilita- 

 ted to the roots, while part is detain- 

 ed and becomes organized, forming a 

 new layer of woody matter. The 

 thickness of the layer so formed is 

 very diflferent in different species ; 

 but in the same species, all other cir- 

 cumstances being the same, it is in 

 proportion to the surface of leaves. 

 The aggregate horizontal growth, or, 

 in other words, the diametrical ex- 

 tension of the stem, branch, and even 

 roots, depends upon the quantity of 

 healthy foliage. The diametrical in- 

 crease of any particular part corre- 

 sponds with the greater or less pro- 



