1684- ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 



The alder, it has bejen already mentioned, was used by the ancients for 

 boats; and Professor Martyn suggests that a hollow alder, falling into the 

 stream on the banks of which it grew, may have given the first idea of a boat 

 to man. Virgil and Lucan both mention this use of the tree. Among the 

 old English poets, Browne alludes to the shade of the alder not injuring the 

 grass that grows under it : 



" The alder, whose fat shadow nourisheth, 

 Each plant set neere to him long flourisheth." 



And Spenser speaks of the alders on the banks of the Mulla, in his Colin 

 Clout 1 s come home again. 



" ' One day,' quoth he, ' I sate, as was my trade, 



Under the foot of Mole, that mountain hoar, 

 Keeping my sheep among the cooly shade 

 Of the green alders on the Mulla's shore.' " 



Soil and Situation. It was commonly recommended to plant the alder in 

 swamps ; and, doubtless, from its roots running near the surface, it will thrive 

 better in such situations than many other trees ; but it is a great mistake to 

 suppose that the alder, or any other tree, will either grow rapidly, or attain a 

 large size, except in good soils, liberally supplied with moisture, but by no 

 means at all times soaked with it. A little reflection will convince us that, in 

 all countries, the best soils are on the banks of rivers and lakes; because to 

 such situations the finer earths have been carried down from the higher 

 grounds for ages, whether these grounds have been under water, or exposed 

 to the atmosphere. A good soil, on the margin of stagnant water, the sur- 

 face of which is some feet below the surface of the ground, promises to be a 

 more favourable situation than either the banks of a river, where the water 

 varies in height at different periods of the year, and where there cannot be a 

 very rich deposition of mud ; or a good soil on the margin of water at, or 

 nearly on, the same level with it. This is very well proved by two trees of 

 about the same age : one on the flat banks of the piece of water at Syon, and 

 the other on the raised bank of an old moat at Woburn Farm. The soil, in 

 both cases, is equally rich ; but at Syon the main roots of the tree are nearly 

 on a level with the water, while at Woburn Farm the main roots are some 

 feet above it. One of the most favourable situations for growing the alder 

 for poles is, an island the side of which is 2 ft. or 3 ft. above the level of the 

 water. Such islands, when so planted, with alders, are called alder beds ; 

 as they are called osier holts, when planted with willows. Ten years' 

 growth in such a bed, Cobbett states, will produce poles 20 ft., or more, in 

 length ; with but ends of from 4 in. to 6 in. in diameter. The alder, 

 Mr. Sang observes, is found in the highest perfection in moist soils ; and, 

 though it will grow freely in light elevated lands, it has a tendency in such 

 situations to dry and impoverish the soil, not being satisfied unless it can 

 obtain abundance of moisture. No tree, he continues, is, perhaps, equally 

 well adapted for upholding the banks of rivers, from the great multiplicity of 

 its roots. Evelyn is of the same opinion ; and he, and all authors, agree that 

 it will not even live in dry chalky soil. 



Propagation and Culture. Evelyn says that the alder is propagated by 

 truncheons of the stem or of the root, " set as big as the small of one's leg, and 

 in length about 2ft. ;" one end of which should be plunged in the mud. " If 

 we plant smaller sets," he says, " let them be cut at a proper season, and when 

 the wood is of competent bigness, and mature." The Jersey manner of plant- 

 ing truncheons, he adds, is by forming them into lengths of 2ft. or 3 ft. each, 

 at the beginning of winter; binding them in faggots, and placing the ends of them 

 in water, till towards the end of spring. By that season, they will have con- 

 tracted a callosity at their lower extremity ; and, " being planted, will, like Gen- 

 netmoil apple trees, never foil of growing, and striking root." Boutcher says 

 the alder may be propagated by cuttings of three, four, or five years' growth, 

 planted in February or March. The Continental authors mention suckers, 



