448 Cruickshank's Practical Planter. 



would have been no occasion for the ' sod system ; ' there 

 would have been less cover of rank herbage for mice, under 

 which to perform their " deeds of darkness," and fewer seeds 

 for their sustenance; there would have been less waste of 

 labour, and less waste of criticism on the mode of conducting 

 that labour. It appears that the 'fern' (Pteris aquilina, we 

 presume) was a great annoyance in Dean Forest. This plant 

 sends its roots more than a hundred feet deep into the soil, 

 and, consequently, is not easily eradicated ; it is, however, 

 easily kept under while a plantation is young ; and is, withal, 

 one of the best indications we know of a soil suitable to the 

 growth of oak and elm. We fear " Sir Henry Steuart " 

 will not think the following extract quite * scientific :' — " Be- 

 cause large plants, when removed, if they are not well cut in, 

 pruned, or divested of a great part of their branches, are 

 much longer before they make fresh shoots, if ever they do." 

 (p. 69.) We think the baronet and Mr. Billington are, on 

 this subject, at the extremes of the question at issue. We 

 woidd say, in removing a tree, be as careful of the roots as 

 possible ; but as, with the greatest care, some roots will be 

 hurt or destroyed, remove an equal proportion of the branches, 

 to preserve a fair equilibrium between the leaves and roots ; 

 or, as Mr. Billington remarks, " probably the bark, sap, and 

 air-vessels get hide-bound and contracted for want of their 

 usual supply and circulation of nutriment." (p. 69.) His mode 

 of pruning larch nurslings, by cutting the branches about the 

 middle, where they interfere with oak or other permanent 

 wood, is entitled to the attention of those who have the ma- 

 nagement of young plantations ; but, for an account of the 

 superior growth of larch trees so pruned, we must refer to 

 the work itself. The simple plaster of cow-dung, which he 

 recommends for wounds in trees, we have always considered 

 as equal in merit to the far-famed Forsyth's plaster: and, 

 upon the whole, although the book is not well got up, we 

 believe it contains many sensible and useful remarks.— A. G. 

 Perthshire. 



Art. II. The Practical Planter; containing Directions for the 

 Planting of Waste Land, and Management of Wood: with a neio 

 Method of rearing the Oak. By Thomas Cruickshank, Forester 

 at Careston. Edinburgh, 1830. 8vo. 12s. 



We see trees of a huge size on the open lawn, or by the 

 way-side ; and, not recollecting, perhaps, of any thing having 

 been done for them, are apt to imagine that wood wants little 



