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NOTICES OF AUTHORS. 



allows the water gradually to percolate ; it is also 

 bored by the earth-worm, and other insects, and the 

 plant itself, after the roots have struck anew and the 

 fractures healed, possesses a vitality which better 

 enables it to withstand the exclusion of air from the 

 roots, and chilling by the water the ensuing win- 

 ter, and either prevents absorption of the stagnant 

 fluid, or counteracts its putrid tendency. Planting 

 succeeds best in soil of this description when the 

 ground has been under grass for some period, at least 

 the new planted tree, in this case, is less liable to the 

 root-rot ; and trenching or digging previous to plant- 

 ing is of more utility, as the turfiness prevents the 

 €lay from sinking down into impervious mortar, and 

 allows the water to percolate to the drains. 



Mr Billington is very earnest in recommending 

 to drain well at first, and to keep the drains (open 

 drains) in repair ; he also directs, where the ground 

 is very impervious and wet, to take large square 

 sods, about 18 inches square and 9 inches thick, 

 from the drains while digging in early winter, and 

 place one of these, the grassy side undermost, in the 

 site which each plant is to occupy. In the spring, 

 by the time of planting, the sod has become firmly 

 fixed, and the two swards rotting afford an excellent 

 noiuishment to the plant, which is inserted in the 



