298 TRANSACTIONS OP THE 



plants, indiscriminately, and they may then be more easily and effectually 

 protected. If you determine to plant six varieties, I would recommend 

 two maples for one birch ; two elms for one beech ; two oaks for one elm ; 

 two beeches for one ash ; and two ashes for one birch. Your plantation 

 will then be formed of kinds likely to succeed each other, if either disagrees 

 with the climate or soil. 



It is of immense importance in raising timber plantations, particularly 

 in bleak situations, as before stated, that protection and warmth be afforded 

 by the use of trees of quick growth and spreading branches. For this pur- 

 pose the larch is without doubt the best nurse, because it grows well and 

 rapidly in all situations, and on all soils that are not naturally moist. The 

 cedar, pine, and hemlock, are also admirable. 



In some situations the beech is eminently useful, because it is patient of 

 the sea breeze. In some situations a nurse will be found necessary for 

 each timber tree ; in more sheltered places, one for three or four may be 

 found a sufficient allowance. 



The proper time for planting, with the greatest chance of success, differs 

 according to the nature of the soil and plants, as well as the weather. In 

 dry, porous soils, with hardy trees, from the middle of October to the first 

 of December, is probably the most suitable time ; at least, I have found it 

 bo; they then become established against the heat of summer, which de- 

 stroys multitudes of new planted trees. In moist soils, of a clayey nature, 

 from the end of February to the tenth of April, when the soil is not too 

 wet to adhere to the spade, or sun, and will divide well and intermingle 

 with the fibrous roots of the tree. If your soil is retentive, never plant 

 in the time of rain, nor, in fact, in less than a day or two after, nor after 

 a fall of snow, until its effects have entirely disappeared. On the other 

 hand, if the soil is absorbent and dry, you may plant during the fall of 

 gentle rains, and directly after heavy ones, or the disappearance of snow. 

 You may regulate your planting by the difference in forwardness of the 

 trees you intend to set out ; for example, the willow, alder, poplar, moun- 

 tain ash, birch, linden, horse-chestnut, sycamore, larch, and elm, should 

 certainly be planted in our section by the first week of March ; and the 

 hornbeam, maple, chestnut, common ash, oak, hickory, wild cherry, pines, 

 hemlocks, cedars, by the first week of April, at the latest, unless the sea- 

 son is unusually backward. After the trees have been planted, it is neces- 

 sary that the plantation should not be lost sight of; it must be kept clean 

 and entirely free from weeds, for at least four years ; this may be done by 

 cultivating crops in it, and the constant use of the plow and horse hoe. 



There is another point that requii-es attention, which is, filling up the 

 vacancies that may be caused by dead trees ; this operation might be left 

 until the fourth year ; if it is done too early, many plants will be removed 

 that would have thrown out shoots from the bottom. 



The thinning of underwood must be regulated by the luxuriance of their 

 growth and the purposes to which the cuttings are to be applied ; when for 

 large uses, more thinning will be necessary than in the contrary case. 



