THE planter's GUIDE. 



169 



nary occasions it would have been indispensable, for the 

 free admission of air among the plants. At this period 

 I happened to have a good deal of transplanting work 

 upon mj hands, by which means the original trenching^ 

 and the successive removals that were made from the 

 clumps, not only served this salutary purpose, but operated 

 as a complete preparation of the roots, as well as of every 

 other part of the trees which were left behind : for I 

 found that, how severely soever they might be cut, I could 

 always return to them after two years with renewed 

 advantage. The clumps, as it fortunately happened, were 

 pretty numerous. They had been planted in various 

 soils, from the most tenacious clay to the lightest sand ; 

 therefore no better opportunity could be figured for 

 raising forest trees of almost every description with 

 success. The clumps for the most part, by the above 

 operations, were soon reduced to open dispositions of 

 wood, and in some instances to mere groups of six and 

 seven plants. But some still remained as nurseries for 

 subjects, which at this moment are of great size and 

 beauty, and endued in the most eminent degree with all 

 the protecting properties. 



Although few planters may be so fortunate as to possess 

 such valuable remains of the former school of design, yet 

 no one, I trust, will find much difficulty, from the state- 

 ment just now made, in forming out of the ordinary plan- 

 tations of a place a transplanting nursery for himself 

 The main object, in such a view, is to select a plantation 

 which has friable mould for the development of the roots, 

 and, if possible, a dry subsoil ; and such a plantation, 

 likewise, as has been the least neglected in proper thinning. 

 The first point towards obtaining a good nursery, is to cut 

 away the Spruce Firs and Larches, which have been planted 

 as nurses. But if any Scotch Firs appear, with tolerable 



