304> Memoirs of the Caledonian Horticultural Society. 



about the advantage of not disturbing the taproot ; Mr. Hosie 

 has found " that it is only to £ certain depth, and where the 

 soil suits, that the taproot takes a perpendicular direction, a 

 horizontal one afterwards being the most material. As to 

 the difference of expense betwixt sowing and planting, let it 

 be considered that, within the compass of a few square yards, 

 as many trees can be raised as would plant some acres, and at 

 a trifling expense ; while, by sowing a large plantation at 

 first, the extra-expense of seed alone would nearly counter- 

 balance that of planting, besides other disadvantages, such as 

 the young plants being thrown out by the frost, particularly 

 the pine tribe, and the loss of the growth of a year or two, 

 which may be saved by planting stout plants." Stout oak 

 plants of from 3 to 5 ft. high, with very little pruning either 

 of the roots or tops, are what Mr. Hosie recommends. 

 Pruning at an early age has very little effect on the future 

 form of the tree, for what is the leading shoot at first plant- 

 ing, very seldom remains so. 



" To form handsome trees in extensive woods, and with- 

 out retarding their growth, in my judgment, pruning with a 

 large knife, seven or eight years after they are planted, when 

 they begin to grow vigorously, is the best way. The prun- 

 ing of all the lateral branches, great and small, up to a certain 

 height, as is practised by some, I think a bad plan ; it is 

 not the way to form handsome trees, and in general gives 

 such a check to their growth, that they are some years before 

 they recovei*. It is very doubtful to me, if the pine tribe 

 ever should be pruned at all, unless in taking off the dead 

 boughs; but, if it is necessary to prune the live branches, 

 they should not be cut too close to the stem at first, but left 

 as snags, and cut close afterwards, when the sap is gone." 



" The object of thinning coppice stools, is to leave such 

 strong shoots, that none of the others that may afterwards 

 spring from the same stool will ever be able to contend with 

 them-" 



" It often happens, particularly at the first cutting of an 

 oak coppice, that a considerable number of the stools do not 

 shoot the first year, and sometimes not even for two or three 

 years afterwards, and these generally the healthiest of them." 

 A remedy for this is, " to remove the earth from the roots a 

 little way round the stem immediately after cutting." It is 

 of great consequence to cut the stems low ; " for, as the 

 young shoots generally spring from between the angles of 

 the large roots or fangs, so the lower down they come the 

 better ; for, when they spring from the root itself, they pro- 



