CruickshanF s Practical Planter. 467 



cannot be better done than by surrounding every plant by 

 trees somewhat higher, either evergreens, like the Scotch 

 pine, or trees which produce their leaves earlier, and have a 

 thick close spray, like the larch and other frondose trees. 

 Two thousand of the pines and larches may remain on each 

 Scotch acre till they are 16 years old; one half may then be 

 cut down, and the remainder may remain till they are 25 

 years old ; one half of these may then be cut, and the last 

 500 may remain till they are from 30 to 35 years old. These 

 nurses will now have returned the whole expense of making 

 the plantation, together with a high rent for the land during 

 the first 30 or 35 years. 



Where plantations of pines or firs exist of a greater age 

 or height than those mentioned, the oaks may be introduced, 

 whatever be the height of the nurses, provided the branches 

 have not become so close as to shut out the air from above ; 

 or provided the nurses be so far thinned as to reduce them 

 to this state. Deep ravines, valleys surrounded by high 

 mountains, dells, dingles, and steep banks of rivulets or 

 streams, ground covered with furze or broom, hazel or birch, 

 may be planted with acorns, without planting nurses. 



" For the reception of the acorns, let the following preparations be 

 made : — Mark off a patch of 2 ft. square, notch it round with the spade, 

 and trench it 1 ft. deep; using an earth-pick or mattock, if the hardness of 

 the ground require it, and throwing out all large stones. Proceed in this, 

 manner till the requisite number of patches be formed, letting them be 10 ft. 

 distance from one another, by which means there will be a few more than 

 500 of them in the superficies of a Scots acre. In land which is very 

 stony, it will be sometimes impracticable to make the distances between 

 them completely regular ; but this is a matter of little importance, provided 

 the inequalities be not great, and nearly balance each other." (p. 227.) 



" Before proceeding to plant the acorns, get some lime in readiness ; 

 slake it thoroughly with water, in the same manner as is customary when it 

 is to be used for agricultural purposes, and spread as much of it as can be 

 lifted on a common spade upon each patch. Then dig it in, neatly levelling 

 the ground. As soon as a patch is thus prepared, plant in it five acorns: 

 one as nearly as possible in the centre, and the other four forming a square 

 of 1 ft. each side around it, and cover them 1 in. deep with earth. Proceed 

 thus till the whole be planted- To avoid deception from bad acorns, put 

 them, in small quantities, before they are used, into a tub of water. All of 

 them that are sound will sink to the bottom; the others will swim on the, 

 surface, and are to be skimmed off and rejected. I recommend five to be 

 put into each patch, because that is the most that will find room for two 

 years, without being too much crowded; for, though one plant only will be 

 ultimately required, it is necessary to make provision against the ravages 

 of mice ; which, being very fond of acorns, will devour many of them in the 

 interval between the time of sowing and that of coming up. Besides, acci- 

 dents may happen to the young plants." (p. 229.) 



The most proper season for sowing is the last week of 

 March, or beginning of April ; sown earlier, they are more 



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