112 ON SEA-SIDE PLANTING. . 
abound everywhere in the soil, has a very marked effect in 
impeding the growth of every kind of tree,—the native vege- 
tation deprives the plants of nourishment; and of all soils 
producing herbage along the sea-side, this description of land 
is perhaps the most difficult to cover with healthy plantation. 
In this case the injury to newly inserted plants by the her- 
bage is equal to that arising from a dense and retentive 
subsoil, and the remedy in both cases is that of trenching 
the ground previously to the formation of the plantation. It 
is to be recommended that in either case the trenching should 
take place a few months before the inserting of the plants, to 
allow the herbage time to decompose, and that the retentive 
subsoil may become purified and pulverized by the influence 
of the atmosphere. 
Regarding the preparation of the ground I have only to 
add, that under the adverse position of many sea-side planta- 
tions, unless the soil is made thoroughly pervious to the roots 
of the plants, every other effort will fail in producing vigorous 
trees. Wet ground should be thoroughly drained, and in all 
cases where an addition of good fertile soil can be made and 
applied to the roots of the plants, success is thereby rendered 
most certain. 
The time of planting depends very much on the nature of the 
soil. I have transplanted pines successfully in every month 
from the beginning of August till the end of May. If the 
ground is dry sand the months of August and September are 
very suitable for Scotch and other pines, provided they are 
grown close at hand, and can be lifted and planted without 
much exposure to the weather. If wet weather occurs in 
April the planting of pines in sand is then generally very 
successful, as they lose no time in fixing themselves in the 
ground, and then start with the calmest months of the year. 
This holds good with all the kinds of plants recommended, 
but the fear of a want of moisture in many places renders it 
necessary to plant earlier, so as to take advantage of the sap 
of winter or early spring. Close planting is absolutely neces- 
sary; from two to three feet plant from plant is a usual 
