68 ON PIT PLANTING 
those that ate two years tratisplanted. In this, as in all other 
modes of forest-planting, much depends on the quality of the 
plants. If they have stood longer in the lines than two years 
without being removed, and grown well, their reots will be 
large and bare, and destitute of that fibrous bushiness so 
essential to the success of a newly transplanted tree. Three 
or four yeats’ transplanted trees appear much stouter and 
more vigorous than those which remained only two years in 
nursery lines ; but the former are apt to die, and rarely grow 
freely for a year or two after being transplanted. Plants for 
pits should always be of the best description, and picked in 
the nursery lines ; a considerable number being often produced 
more feeble than others, such should be rejected, as every 
pitted plant is expected to be more permanent than many of 
the plants closely inserted by notch planting. We have else- 
where stated the advantages resulting from hardwood plants 
being moved or transplanted in the nursery the season before 
being finally planted out, which will generally make them 
twice transplanted. This insures fibrous roots ; consequently 
they rarely fail, but readily take to the ground, and contrast 
favourably with plants bare in their roots from having been 
too long in the lines without being moved. 
In forming plantations for profit there are several circum- 
stances that require to be kept in view. Almost every de- 
scription of soil will grow several kinds of trees to a 
considerable size ; it is therefore important to know the de- 
scription of timber that will most readily find a market in the 
locality, in order that that sort may be cultivated, whether for 
hoops, crates, staves, agricultural or other purposes. In dis- 
tricts far from a large town, and from water, or other cheap 
conveyance, some kinds of timber are of comparatively little 
value, It is therefore necessary to study the cultivation of 
the kinds that will best afford a long carriage. In situations 
of this sort it is always necessary to manufacture the timber 
into stave-wood, or deal, or such articles as contain the 
greatest value in proportion to their weight. For instance, 
wooden bobbins are required in great numbers at all the large 
