INTRODUCTION. 



xiii 



the neighbourhood of London, or elsewhere, are absolutely unscathed 

 at Kew."* 



Similarly Mr. A. H. Kent writing from Blechingley, Surrey, on 

 Feb. 23rd, 1861, descibes his locality as having " a soil, chiefly of 

 light dry sand with very little clay and loam. All kinds of Coniferae 

 thrive well ... as the soil prevents an accumulation of moisture at 

 the roots, notwithstanding the great rains of the past year (1860). 

 The oft repeated caution to have ground on which it is intended to 

 plant Coniferse and Evergreens well drained is a great fact, and not 

 to be disregarded with impunity/'t As instances of slight injuries 

 following the severe winter of 1879-80, the reader is referred to 

 the Reports from Beds., p. 25, and Bucks., p. 27. 



Twenty years ago Dr. Lindley drew attention to the importance 

 of drainage, if the soil was not naturally of a porous character, both 

 surface and underground — " The means of surface drainage should 

 be at command when required ; but by deepening the soil where it 

 is too thin and rendering it permeable to water with deep under 

 drainage to prevent stagnation, most of the summer rain that falls 

 can find its way through the soil, rendering it comparatively warm. 

 But where under drainage is neglected, the accumulated moisture 

 stagnates on the already saturated soil, cold in consequence of the 

 winter rains or melted snow having never been drawn off ; that 

 moisture from its coldness is heavier than the summer rains; the 

 latter may run off the surface, and thus their warming effect on 

 the soil is lost, but they cannot displace the colder and heavier 

 water, which consequently retains possession of the soil for the 

 greater part of the growing season, and in that case the crops 

 cannot thrive as they otherwise would, and are, besides, rendered 

 late, so that in bad seasons they are in danger of being lost." J 



As an instance of much injury accruing to trees on tenacious 

 clay, the reader is referred to the Report from Bucks, No. 4, p. 28, 

 while the contrary result followed from good drainage at Brickhill 

 Manor, Bucks., Rep. No. 2, p. 27, and at Impney Pk., Worcester, 

 Rep. No. 2, p. 73 ; while the Rep. from Headiugton Hill Hall, Ox- 

 ford, No. 3, p. 38, bears out Mr. Kent's remarks on Coniferse 



* Gard Chron. 1861, p. 830. 

 f Gard. Chron. 18G1, p. 16. 

 J Gard. Chron. 1861, p. 4. 



