129 



dium, choked up with stagnant waters at certain 

 periods : thus, at a great depth, the soil becomes 

 what is technically termed " soured,'* for the solar 

 heat can in this case exercise no ameUorating influ- 

 ence. 



In all cases where ground is suspected of being too 

 damp, the trees should be planted high ; indeed we 

 always plant in such cases at or nearly on the ground 

 level, securing a foot at least of soil beneath them, 

 and acquiring the desired depth of soil above the 

 ground level by throwing the trees on hillocks, or by 

 forming continuous ridges with deep furrows between 

 to carry off the surface waters. 



Where the soil is too light, sandy, and of a loose 

 character, a very different process becomes necessary. 

 Here a greater depth may by all means be permitted ; 

 indeed, if the soil is of a wholesome charcter, it 

 scarcely matters how deep, providing it is not made 

 artificially deeper than the top of the substratum : 

 this is in all planting a wrong course of proceeding, 

 for, when the roots reach the sides of such holes, 

 they are forced into subsoil of a very doubtful charac- 

 ter. Of com'se draining is out of the question here ; 

 on the contrary, means must be taken to secure a 

 permanency of moisture during extreme droughts. 

 This may be accomplished by mixing marl or clay 

 with the loose soil, and by placing such in masses 

 beneath the soil, as an artificial substratum* 



K 



