BOOK III. FORMATION OF PLANTATIONS. 947 



but that it can be of no great consequence to full-grown trees, appears highly probable from the fact, that 

 when such trees are cut down, the tap-root is seldom to be distinguished from the others. The opinion 

 that young plants have not the power of renewing their tap-root, will, we believe, be found inconsistent 

 with fact ; and we may appeal to Sang and other nurserymen, who raise the oak and horse-chestnut from 

 seed. It is customary when these are sown in drills, to cut off their tap-roots without removing the plants 

 at the end of the second year's growth, and when at the end of the third or fourth year they are taken up, 

 they will be found to have acquired others, not indeed so strong as the first would have been had they re- 

 mained, but sufficient to establish the fact of the power of renewal. We may also refer to the experiment 

 recorded by Forsyth, which at once proves that trees have a power of renewing their tap-roots, and the 

 great advantages from cutting down trees after two or three years' planting. Forsyth " transplanted a 

 bed of oak-plants, cutting the tap-roots near to some of the side-roots or fibres springing from them. In 

 the second year after, he headed one half of the plants down, and left the other half to nature. In the first 

 season, those headed down made shoots six feet long and upwards, and completely covered the head of the 

 old stem, leaving only a faint cicatrix, and produced new tap-roots upwards of two feet and a half long 

 The other half of the plants that were not headed, were not one fourth the size of the others. One of the 

 former is now eighteen feet high, and fifteen inches in circumference, at six inches from the ground one 

 of the largest of the latter measures only five feet and half in height, and three inches and three quarters 

 in circumference, at six inches from the ground." ( Tr. on Fruit Trees, 4to edit 144.) The pine and fir 

 tribes receive most check by transplanting ; and when removed at the age of four or five years, they seldom 

 arrive at trees afterwards ; those we should, on most occasions, prefer to sow, especially on mountainous 

 tracts. But for all trees which stole, and in tolerable soils and situations, planting strong plants, and cut- 

 ting them down two or three years afterwards, will, we think, all circumstances considered, be proved 

 preferable to sowing. 



6830. On the subject of disposing the plants in plantations, there are different opinions; some advis- 

 ing rows, others quincunx, but the greater number planting irregularly. According to Marshall, " the 

 preference to be given to the row, or the random culture, rests in some measure upon the nature and situ- 

 ation of the land to be stocked with plants. Against steep hangs, where the plough cannot be conveniently 

 used in cleaning and cultivating the interspaces, during the infancy of the wood, either method may be 

 adopted ; and if plants are to be put in, the quincunx manner will be found preferable to any. But in 

 more level situations, we cannot allow any liberty of choice : the drill or row manner is undoubtedly the 

 most eligible." (Plant, and Rur. Orn. p. 123.) Fontey considers it of much less consequence than most 

 people imagine, whether trees are planted regularly or irregularly, as in either case the whole of the soil 

 will be occupied by the roots and the surface by the shoots. Sang and Nicol only plant in rows where 

 culture with the horse-hoe is to be adopted. In sowing for woods and copses, the former places the 

 patches six feet asunder and in the quincunx order. " It has been demonstrated (Farmer's Mag. vii. 409:), 

 that the closest order in which it is possible to place a number of points, upon a plain surface, not nearer 

 than a given distance from each other, is in' the angles of hexagons with a plant in the centre of each 

 hexagon. Hence it is argued, that this order of trees is the most economical ; as the same quantity of 

 ground will contain a greater quantity of trees, by 15 per cent, when planted in this form than in any other." 

 (Gen. Rep. ii. 287.) It is almost needless to observe, that hedge plants should be placed at regular distances 

 in the lines, and also the trees, when those are introduced in hedges. Osier-plantations, and all such as 

 like them require the soil to be dug every year, or every two years, during their existence, should also be 

 planted in regular rows. 



6831. The distances at which the plants are placed must depend on different circum- 

 stances, but chiefly on the situation and soil. Planting thick, according to Nicol, is the 

 safer side to err on, because a number of plants will fail, and the superfluous ones can be 

 easily removed by thinning. " For bleak situations," he observes, " that from thirty to 

 forty inches is a good medium, varying the distance according to circumstances. For 

 less exposed situations, and where the soil is above six inches in depth, he recommends a 

 distance from four to five feet. For belts, clumps, and strips, of a diameter of about one 

 hundred feet ; the margin to be planted about the distance of two feet, and the interior at 

 three feet. In sheltered situations of a deep good soil, he recommends a distance of six 

 feet, and no more." (Pract. Plant.} 



6832. According to Sang, "the distances at which hard -timber trees ought to be planted are from six 

 to ten feet, according to the quality of the soil, and the exposed or sheltered situation. When the 

 first four oaks are planted, supposing them at right angles, and at nine feet apart, the interstices will 

 fall to be filled up with five nurses, the whole standing at four and a half feet asunder. When sixteen oaks 

 are planted, there will necessarily be thirty-three nurses planted ; and when thirty-six oaks are planted, 

 eighty-five nurses ; but when a hundred principal trees are planted in this manner, in a square of ten on 

 the side, there will be two hundred and sixty-one nurse-plants required. The English acre would require 

 five hundred and thirty-six oaks, and one thousand six hundred and ten nurses." (Plant. Kal. 163.) Pontey 

 says, " In general cases, a distance of four feet is certainly close enough ; as at that space the trees may 

 all remain till they become saleable as rails, spars, &c." 



6833 The number of plants which may be planted on a statute acre = 160 rods, or poles, = 4840 yards = 

 43,560 feet, is as follows : 



6834. The size of the plants depends jointly on the site and the kind of tree ; it is uni- 

 versally allowed that none of the resinous tribe succeed well when removed at four or 

 more years' growth ; but if the soil is of tolerable quality, prepared by digging or sum- 

 mer pitting, and the site not bleak, plants of such hard woods as stole may be used whose 

 stems are an inch or more in diameter. 



6835. Nicol is of opinion, " That generally trees three, or at most four, years old from the seed, and which 

 are from twelve to twenty-four inches high, will, in any situation or soil, outgrow those of any size under 

 eight or ten feet, within the seventh year." (Pract. Plant. 130.) 



6836. Sang observes, " The size of plants for exclusive plantations must, in some measure, depend on 

 their kinds ; but it may be said, generally, that the plants being transplanted, they should be from a foot 

 to eighteen inches in height, stiffin the stem, and well rooted. Plants for this purpose should seldom be 

 more than three years from the seed : indeed never, if they have been raised in good soil. Many of 



3 P 2 



