Trees best Adapted for Various Soils 133 



silvery tint that is so characteristic of this cedar when well 

 grown being discernible in the clay-grown specimens. 

 Pinus austriaca has, in a few instances, done well, the 

 foliage being ample and of the usual dark yew-green. 

 Amongst shrubs the double-flowered gorse (Ulex Europceus, 

 fl. pi.) has done best of any indeed, it has grown and in- 

 creased freely, and would seem to be quite as much at home 

 as in its natural element a dry, gravelly bank. These 

 may be considered as the trees that have succeeded best in 

 stiff, clayey soil. Few of the pine tribe did well, and this 

 may also be said of the spruces, cypresses, yews, junipers, 

 arbutus, dogwood, cotoneaster, hollies, and others planted. 



It is, of course, far from advisable to plant trees or 

 shrubs in such unkindly soil without first adding other of 

 better quality ; but it is of great value to know that there 

 are a few trees and shrubs that will thrive almost in defiance 

 of the stubborn and unkindly nature of a stiff clay soil. 



(5) Ironstone Soils. The particular class of soil to 

 which I refer, and which in several districts occurs in plenty, 

 is on the coal and ironstone formation, where the top soil 

 is usually shallow, and the subsoil consists of a loose, yellow 

 ish rag that is largely impregnated with iron. In most 

 places but a very small quantity of soil exists, and that is 

 of the poorest description, varying in depth according to 

 the lie of the measure. The Spanish Chestnut is one of the 

 very best trees for this soil, growing with freedom, and pro- 

 ducing a fair amount of good timber, while its appearance 

 indicates perfect health. 



Birch and beech do well, although neither of them attains 

 to a large size. The latter reproduces itself freely from 

 seeds, and soon spreads wherever a footing can be got. 

 Sycamore grows freely, particularly where the pan is broken 

 up, and produces a small quantity of good timber. Another 

 tree that seems perfectly at home on the coal and ironstone 

 is the wild cherry, for there it grows to a fair size, flowers 

 freely, and produces excellent timber. Larch cannot be 

 recommended for this soil, but in places where a small 

 quantity of loam overlies the coal and ironstone it grows 

 with great freedom for a number of years, and the timber, 



