PA RT VIII. 



PICTURESQUE 



PLANTING. 



555 



SECT. V. OF SHELTERING YOUNG PLANTATIONS. 



Shelter is a most powerful promoter of the growth of vege- 

 tables: it is peculiarly necessary for many kinds of young 

 trees in all exposed situations; and as there are some kinds 

 that will endure the most severe exposure, the tenderer kinds 

 are sheltered by intermixing some of these hardier sorts among 

 them as nurses. A nurse plant should be of a quick growth, 

 especially when young, and endure the particular exposure in 

 which it is to be planted, better than the tree that is finally to 

 become the principal. We have several quick-growing kinds 

 adapted for all the different degrees of exposure, from the sea- 

 shore to the tops of the highest hills*; and those undoubtedly 

 are the best that can be employed for this purpose. The pro- 

 portion of nurses planted, to the principal trees, must vary ac- 

 cording to the exposure, and the degree of shelter necessary: 

 in some cases, they may be equal in quantity with the princi- 

 pal tree; and in others, not above a twentieth part of their 

 number. It may sometimes happen, that more than one half 

 are nurses; and in that case, as the whole grow up, a few of 

 them should be removed, and more of the principal tree 



* See Chap. II. Sect. 1. 



