48 ON SELECTING NURSERY PLANTS. 
success, by selecting plants of the most approved varieties of 
the species; in many instances, however, this is not done. 
Indifference, in this respect, with the trade, or with plant mer- 
chants, who pass the commodity from hand to hand in course 
of a few weeks, is not so surprising ; but with those who are to 
own the plants in their final destination, ‘the selection is surely 
worthy of the exercise of thoughtfulness and care. Seldom, 
however, is this care taken; seldom is the same vigilance exer- 
cised here, which the agriculturist displays in laying down a 
crop destined to last only a few months. In arboriculture the 
result stands far away in the future, whereas with the farmer 
it is close at hand—the character and quality of his crops are 
readily ascertained, and the difference between good and bad 
is realized in a few months in a tangible form. 
In the formation of plantations, great or small, the work is 
generally proceeded with as if every tree or plant of its name 
were equally good, without regard to variety, pedigree, or 
climatic influence. All Scotch pines, for instance, are often 
treated as one sort, and larch and spruce in the same manner, 
yet in each of these there exists a diversity greater than that 
found in wheat, barley, or any other grain. Although the 
varieties and qualities of the trees will be found pretty fully 
detailed under their respective names, yet as those named are 
important leading kinds, as a guide to the selection of the 
most suitable plants, I may here make a few remarks on each 
of these trees. 
The Scotch pine is a tree very susceptible of climatic influ- 
ence; when removed from its native mountains to a warm 
country, and grown from seed, it changes its appearance to 
some extent, showing many seedling varieties. Every suc- 
ceeding generation produces softer timber ; and away from its 
native habitat the tree thus degenerates and becomes tender. 
Since 1860, many tons of Scotch pine seeds have been im- 
ported from the Continent into Britain, as already noticed, 
and many millions of plants have been thus produced, far 
too tender for the exposed moorland of this country. In 
the best protected nursery ground they often perish in a 
