106 



ON QUALITY OF SOIL. 



a proof that no ordinary degree of sterility will pre- 

 vent it from answering the expectations of the 

 planter. From the frequent occurrence of this tree 

 on Deeside, and the high perfection it there attains, 

 we may conclude that it is partial to light and dry 

 soils. But its growth is by no means confined to 

 these. We meet with good specimens of it, in all 

 the different varieties of clay ; and it will bear a de- 

 gree of moisture equal to the spruce. Of all the 

 forest trees known in this country, the birch may, 

 in fact, be deemed one of the least delicate with re- 

 gard to soil. It will grow in loftier situations than 

 even the Scotch fir or the larch. 



The Alder is properly a marsh plant. It is not, 

 however, so exclusively such, but that it will thrive 

 on any but the very driest kinds of land. It will an- 

 swer in cold boggy soils, where scarce any thing- 

 else will grow, and to such situations it should be 

 banished. 



The Willow tribes, though proverbial for their 

 love of moisture, will yet most of them answer well 

 in land which is not too dry for the elm. Except- 

 ing those species, which belonged originally to this 

 country, they require a good depth of vegetable 

 mould, to bring them to their full growth. A light 



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