FOR YOUNG TREES. 23 



ploughing, or manuring of land previous to its 

 being put under a crop of young forest trees, I 

 shall here state very briefly my mind upon the 

 matter. 



First, then, trenching has frequently been recom- 

 mended as a proper preparation of the soil for the 

 reception of young forest trees. The expenses 

 necessary to be incurred in the act of trenching 

 ground for forest trees is the most prominent point 

 that occurs to the mind ; and, indeed, it is a very 

 formidable point to get over. It is evident that, 

 however much good might arise to trees from the 

 trenching of the ground upon which they might 

 be planted, it coidd not in practice be carried to 

 any useful or great extent. In ordinary cases, 

 land cannot be got trenched under eight pounds an 

 acre ; and where trees have been formerly, and huge 

 roots have to be taken out of the ground, even 

 fifteen pounds would not be too much for the trench- 

 ing of an acre in such a condition. Therefore, in 

 general practice, it is entirely out of the question. 



The trenching of ground, as a preparation for 

 young trees, may be very proper, and even neces- 

 sary, upon a small scale — near or about a pro- 

 prietor's policy grounds in a sheltered situation — 

 particularly where large trees may have been 

 newly taken down, and where it is desirable to 

 have old roots taken out previous to replanting ; 

 but it is only in such a case that trencliing, in my 



