ERRORS IN CUL,TIVATION OF WOOD. 



33 



as it is termed, in order to obtain soil exactly to 

 suit every species of trees that it may be necessary 

 to raise. This is another English nostrum, the 

 chief use of which seems to be to create expense, a 

 characteristic which, it is hoped, will ever keep it 

 from being much admired in this frugal land. To 

 adapt the plants to the quality of the land, when 

 we are placing them where they are intended final- 

 ly to remain, is indeed a matter of very great im- 

 portance, and, without paying due attention to it, 

 we need not expect fine timber. But any kind of 

 trees may be easily brought to the greatest size to 

 which it is necessary to bring them in the nursery, 

 although the soil be not precisely of that quality 



converting corn land of ordinary quality into a nursery, except- 

 ing when it happens to be too stiff for raising seedling firs. 

 Then, and then only, it may be necessary to bring a mixture 

 of more friable mould from some other quarter. But scrupu- 

 lously to form the soil so as to be in exact accordance with the 

 nature of every plant, that it may be necessary to raise in it, is, 

 in the first place, to discourage the propagation of trees, by en- 

 creasing the expense ; and, secondly, to transgress against that 

 fundamental rule in arboriculture, namely, that young trees 

 should be brought up in nursery as hardy as possible. To 

 force earth, will be found, in general, equivalent to forcing the 

 plants, for the advocates of the practice always mean to enrich, 

 not to reduce, the soil by means of it. 



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