THE planter's GUIDE. 



151 



expense of trenching an acre, or two acres at once, for 

 these objects, is repaid more than twofold by the additional 

 yearly value of the ground, there must be gain rather 

 than loss by following the culture recommended. 



We now come to the second head, namely, close woods 

 and plantations. Close plantations raised by means of 

 the transplanting machine may be desirable, whether at 

 old places or new, for various purposes where the imme- 

 diate effect of wood is wanted : for concealing objects, 

 for example, that require concealment ; for adding 

 features to the foreground of the landscape ; or for giving 

 accompaniments to water and the like. These planta- 

 tions consist of standard or grove wood, at from eighteen 

 to twenty feet from tree to tree, with copse or underwood 

 at five or six feet occupying the intervals. 



When the plantation is marked out, the first thing to 

 be done is, soon after the autumn, to trench or double -dig 

 the ground eighteen inches deep, in light or silicious soils, 

 and twenty inches at least in clayey or aluminous. 

 During the course of the trenching, if a manuring of com- 

 post can be spared, it is an obvious improvement to dash 

 it on, over the slope of the earth thrown up, in order to 

 promote a comminution of, and to give an incitement to, 

 the new earth, which had never before been exposed to 

 the air. But that is not essentially necessary in this 

 stage of the business. 



By the month of April the winter frosts will have 

 mellowed and made friable the new soil, especially if 

 aluminous ; which greatly assists the pulverisation or 

 comminution of its parts. The ground is next well 

 dunged for a potato-crop with ordinary animal manure, 

 or better, peat compost, made with farm-yard dung, 

 according to the fermenting process of Lord Meadow- 

 bank, and twice heated and turned. In default of com- 



