78 



GROWING GOLD. 



over them, the stems being weak, that the 

 first gale bends them so much as to force 

 their heads to the ground. It is somewhat 

 singular that trees which grow in a manner 

 that is calculated to do the least injury to the 

 crop intended, should be so seldom, if ever 

 used, namely, the small leafed elm ; its 

 branches all grow upwards, none horizontally, 

 therefore it does not impede the growth of the 

 trees near it so much as the Scotch fir. 



The evils of mixed plantations are that 

 some kinds of trees recover transplanting 

 sooner than others, and there is not in all of 

 them the same rate of growth afterwards, 

 consequently the leaders of the festest 

 growing trees suffer from not being sufficiently 

 sheltered. Every time the wind blows 

 they are whipped (as it is termed) and 

 severely injured by the horizontal branches 

 of the trees that grow against them, and which 

 were at first planted for their protection. 

 This is the case with Scotch fir when used 

 for nurses with oak, it recovers transplanting 



