8 



PINACE^. 



in the sequel, and can only be reachecl by such, a start and course 

 of procedure as I have now indicated. 



In whatever soils, altitudes, and climates, whether in a natural or 

 cultivated state, the pine tribe, when in luxuriant and perfect health, 

 will be found in soils more or less rich in natural humis, f.e., vegetable 

 mould, alluvia, or stony debris^ which has, throughout a series of years 

 been accumulating, decomposing, and pulverizing ; and been prepared 

 in nature's laboratory, as pine food : and when found in their greatest 

 pristine beauty generally found inhabiting decKvitous localities, or 

 mountainous countries, and invariably more numerous on undulating 

 than on flat surfaces. The great majority of them will not only grow 

 but luxuriate in sandy loam, gravelly, or gritty soils, if of sufficient 

 depth to allow their far-spreading roots to ramify and extend along the 

 surface soil in search of food ; and many of them will succeed in 

 almost any description of soil, excepting a soft peat or spongy marsh : 

 but sub-soil is of more importance than surface-soil for the firs and 

 pines j for, whatever the top, the bottom must be open and porous, so 

 as to constitute what I term naturally dry substrata, whereby all 

 excess of water must be carried away, or doAvn from the roots, keeping 

 the surface always sweet and healthy by the ready ingress of solar 

 heat, and the speedy egress of all superfluous water ; a porous sub- 

 stratum will always retain or draw up sufficient moisture, but a close 

 impervious substratum will retain superabundant water until it becomes 

 sour and stagnant ; and when the suppKes are for any length of time 

 stopped the attractive force of an impervious substratum is nil ; hence 

 the two extremes of the surface soil — drought and drowning ; than 

 which few if any causes are more inimical to the healthy growth of 

 most of the pines. Most of them will not succeed in thin surface- 

 soils resting upon impervious chalk or limestone ; and dislike the coal 

 formations as a substratum, while nearly all of them do well upon 

 sandstone formations, which still further illustrates my theory of an 

 open, porous, or sandy substratum ; for even surface soils of a close 

 adhesive nature, such as soft clays, peats, and marshes, or other cold, 

 wet, and sour earths, can, by proper drainage, and an opening and 

 ventilating of the substrata be made suitable for many species of the 

 Common and the Giant Fir, the Cypress, the Pine, and the Yew ; some 

 of which prefer over moist to over-dry surface soils, provided the sub- 

 soil is of the right character. 



Situation is a primary consideration ; inasmuch as here I have to 

 suiTey from an ornamental, not a profitable planter's view of the 



