PINACE^. 



for a few years before replanting his gTOund, so as to allow time for tlie 

 decay of ttie roots, if not the old stools of the former crop ; for half-a- 

 dozen years so spent in resting the land will he gained in the first 

 dozen years after, as it would he found from experience that failures 

 and premature deaths were 7ul ; and the increased vigour of the 

 plantation would soon surpass that of the one which might he planted 

 the next season to that in which the former crop was cut and cleared. 

 Where, however, the trees had not been very thick upon the ground, or 

 where the object was an immediate effect from planting, or for ornament 

 more than profit, then tolerably large pits might be made for the pine 

 tribe ; and, in making them, picking out all the old roots of the former 

 trees, in this case a larger class of plants could be used, and fewer of 

 them required than when planted in the ordinary way and thick upon 

 the ground. When firs and pines are to be planted in small 

 quantities, or upon small areas of ground full of old roots, a good, but 

 somewhat expensive process is regularly to dig and grub them out. 



Imperfectly drained land, particularly if it be naturally wet, and 

 where water is allowed to accumulate and become stagnant or fetid, is 

 another cause of these injurious fungoids ; and all naturally wet, spongy, 

 peaty, and close and adhesive soils should be efiectively drained for at 

 least one season before planting it with firs or pines. As I have 

 already stated, all matter in a transitive stage or imperfectly decayed 

 state j whether animal or vegetable, whether manural or stimulant ; 

 is equally productive of fungoids ; knowing, then, all this, we should 

 be careful in the feeding of our firs and pines, and see to it that we do 

 not put them into soils or situations where they will be within reach of 

 their fungoid enemies. 



Pruning is a phase of forestry where many lances have been drawn, 

 and where many duels and battles have been fought, but no victories 

 have as yet been won; ''prune," and prune not," have each their 

 partisans and professors, their temperate and intemperate advocates 

 and denouncers, theu^ reformers and conservators, with all the con- 

 comitants of over-doers and under-doers, and but few who profess that 

 noble virtue — moderation ; for opinion and practice seem to favour 

 nothing but that dangerous vice — proneness to extremes. In the case 

 of the firs and pines, however, I say, that if perfect health and sound 

 timber be the objects we have in view, then I assent to *' prune not" — 

 as a general rule, with its C|Uota of exceptions; which, as apphed in 

 this case, are indeed few; for the only instances where pruning is 

 necessary are when more than one leader may, either in a plant or 



