460 Grliickslianlt 's Practical Planter. 



ever were the quality of its timber, as there are other kinds of trees which 

 will bring higher profits to the proprietor. The most important precept 

 that can be delivered with regard to this tree is, never to plant it either in 

 wet or in very stiff land. Whoever Wishes to see it in its highest perfection, 

 and to acquire a knowledge of the soil and situation in which it delights, 

 from personal observation, ought to visit the forests of Dee-side. 



" Next to the Scots pine, the forest tree most universally cultivated is 

 the larch. This is also a very hardy plant, and it is sure to thrive on any 

 land that will answer for the Scots pine. It is, however, less delicate in 

 its choice of soil than the latter, and will grow in a much greater degree of 

 moisture. I have seen fine larch trees on very stiff' land, and I understand 

 there are many such in the neighbourhood of gentlemen's seats in the 

 Carse of Gowrie, where the soil is deemed as tenacious as any in Scotland. 

 This tree is one of the surest growers we have in barren soils ; and, where 

 a proprietor is in doubt what kind of wood he should plant in any piece of 

 tolerably dry waste land, it is a good general rule to put in a considerable 

 proportion of larches, or rather to make them the staple of the plantation." 

 (p. 98.)- 



The spruce fir is as partial to moist land as the Scotch 

 pine is to dry : — 



" Nothing possibly can be a greater error in attempting to rear timber 

 than to plant spruce in ground that has not a very considerable degree of 

 moisture. It may, indeed, appear to thrive in a dry situation for a few 

 years, but, by the time it reaches 10 ft. or 12 ft. in height, its lower branches 

 will begin to decay, and, after that period, it will make little progress, but 

 remain a mere cumberer of the ground, as unsightly as it will be unprofit- 

 able. If well supplied with moisture, it will thrive better on the most 

 indifferent land, than, without that requisite, it will do on the best of soils. 

 At Counterswells, within five miles of Aberdeen, there were standing, a few 

 years ago, and probably still remain, some spruce trees upwards of 50 ft. 

 high, and without a single withered branch from top to bottom. In shape 

 they presented an exact copy of the cones that grew on them ; the branches 

 close at the ground, spreading out to a great circumference, and every suc- 

 ceeding row diminishing somewhat in length, till the conical shape was 

 complete. So thick and close were the boughs, that it was impossible to 

 catch a single glimpse of the trunks. These beautiful trees grew on what 

 had formerly been a perfect morass, the surface water of which had been 

 drawn off by opening large ditches. The soil was peat moss on a bed of 

 poor clay. I may state, in the way of contrast, that I have seen, on dry 

 land, where the larch had grown to a majestic height, spruce, of the same 

 age, not exceeding 15 ft. from the point of the leader to the ground, every 

 branch, with the exception of two or three near the top, being as effectually 

 withered as if scorched by fire. Spruce seems to be most partial to a cold 

 stiff clay ; it is, however, a very hardy plant, and not very nice in its choice 

 of soil, provided it have enough of sap." (p. 99.) 



The silver and Gilead firs will answer in the same kinds of 

 land as the spruce. The oak prefers a strong clay, but will 

 grow in sandy, gravelly, and even rocky land ; and there are, 

 at Careston, near Brechin, in Forfarshire, some very thriving 

 plantations of oaks, which have arrived at a fair size, on 

 ground so moist as to have produced a good crop of spruce. 

 The oak should not be planted in rocky or in gravelly soils ; 

 it is in vain to plant it in poor land, or where there is not a 



