io6 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



they will grow in a very few years, and how much better an effect I shall get 

 than by any planting of tall plants to wobble in the wind. Now, to plant in 

 this way and get a good result for all the future life of the grove, we have not 

 only to know the greater trees of the Northern World as distinct in kind, in 

 beauty of form or leaf and in height, but also in relation to time ; and hence 

 arises one of the questions concerning good planting for the future, for which 

 all good planting should be. 



We have much evidence how quickly woods may be formed by planting in 

 well-considered masses, and by the association of things of like nature, as Firs 

 and Pines ; and how a man even beginning after middle age may in his own 

 lifetime hope to see noble woods of his own planting. If anything in the world 

 would be enviable by a tree lover it would be the lot of one still young, with 

 much poor land to plant, as he certainly could in his own lifetime raise stately 

 forests. Such good and rapid results, however, can only be got by the absolute 

 exclusion of hares and rabbits, and the still worse attacks of young horses, or 

 grazing creatures of any sort. 



The stock of the ordinary nursery, being in most cases grown for planting 

 gardens and pleasure grounds, should be avoided in the case of forest planting. 



For that we must go to the true forest nursery, which will give 



Small plants best. 1111 it 1 r 1 1 r 11 



us young and healthy seedlings, by tar the best for all purposes 

 of planting. One or two instances of this may convince the planter of the gain 

 of getting very young trees. In planting a field of Larch, although we knew 

 that small plants were essential, some of those received were so very small that 

 the men put them thickly in lines at one side of the field (in stock as it were) 

 to allow them to get bigger. Left there and forgotten, they grew much better 

 than the regularly set out plants, although much more thickly planted. In 

 another case of planting a field of Corsican Pines and Scotch, consisting mainly 

 of small plants, some parts of the field were planted with larger trees, about a 

 yard high, which happened to be in the place in a plantation, where they stood 

 too close. While the little trees never failed, about two-thirds of those of the 

 larger size perished the first hot season. Thus it will be seen at once what an 

 advantage it is always to get very small and young trees in all planting of wood- 

 land and forest. As distinct from pleasure-garden planting I am sure we in the 

 end gain instead of losing time by beginning with baby trees. 



As to time in planting, and where we plant good trees in a liberal way, for 

 which there is so often room to spare in poor ground : a plan seldom followed, 

 but a very good one, is that of dating the wood on a stone block, as in the Oak 

 wood at Althorp; or on stout iron posts, as in the woods near Virginia Water. 

 It is very interesting when examining a well-grown wood to know its age, 

 which may also be duly recorded in an estate book of planting — a useful book to 

 have in every estate where the woods are of any extent. My strong date posts of 



