170 



THE planter's GUIDE. 



heads (a rare thing to be seen under such circumstances,) 

 they are well deserving of preservation. Such fine pictu- 

 resque Pines are sometimes susceptible of removal, on the 

 principles already laid down ; and they always form noble 

 park wood, particularly when of that species which throws 

 out its branches horizontally from the stem. The next 

 object is to clear away the most drawn up and unsightly 

 plants, by at once grubbing them up, so that their roots 

 may not continue to exhaust the soil unprofitably, and that 

 the best plants may be left free, and at single distance from 

 one another. Last of all, the ground is to be trenched 

 over, eighteen inches deep at the least — that is, supposing 

 it never to have been trenched before — leaving open drains 

 deeper than the trench, for the surface water to run off 

 properly. 



During this operation, a few of the handsomest plants, 

 and such as possess the desirable prerequisites in the 

 greatest degree, must have about five feet broad of solid 

 ground left round them, and two or three roots also entire 

 and untouched on the stormy side. The rest of the trees 

 may have three feet and a half of solid ground left entire, 

 during the trenching ; also two or three roots in the same 

 way, towards the west and southwest, and so passing 

 through the trench. During the execution of this work, 

 some tolerable mould, to the depth of a foot or better 

 near the stem, and not less than six or eight inches at the 

 extremity of the solid ground, should be thrown up, in 

 order that the roots may send out new fibres into that 

 friable superaddition to the soil. Moreover, in respect to 

 injury from wind, should the nursery be formed at or near 

 the outskirts of a plantation, (which is rather an advan- 

 tage,) care must be taken for the three first years to leave 

 the two outside rows unthinned, and as close as may be, 

 both in respect to underwood and standard plants, the 



