392 



NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 



As this is a question of some moment, and has divided the most judi- 

 cious writers and planters for a century back, it must be interesting to 

 the young planter to have a concise summary of the evidence as fur- 

 nished by our best vrriters on the one side and on the other, such as 

 may assist him to determine which is most consonant to rational theory, 

 supported and enforced by the best practice. 



Miller, no mean authority as an arboriculturist, says (as we have 

 seen) that no trees transplanted, and especially the Oak, will ever pro- 

 duce such valuable timber as those raised from the seed. Marshall, as 

 we have seen also, prefers sowing the seed, wherever the ground is 

 capable of being worked with the plough. Evelyn, Emmerich, and 

 though last, not least, the intelligent Speedily, are of the same opinion, 

 although Speechly's extensive practice was sometimes at variance with 

 this sentiment. Nicol and Pontey have practised both methods exten- 

 sively, and they offer no arguments against sowing, where situation and 

 circumstances admit. Sang, who in point of practical skill is not in- 

 ferior to any of these Avriters, says, " It is an opinion very generally 

 entertained, that planted timber can never in any case be equal in dura- 

 bility and value to that which is sown. We certainly feel ourselves in- 

 clined to support this opinion, although we readily admit, that the 

 matter has not been so fully established by experiment, as to amount to 

 positive proof. But, although w^e have not met with decided evidence, 

 to determine on the comparative excellence of timber raised from the 

 seed, without being replanted, over such as has been raised from re- 

 planted trees, we are left in no doubt as to the preference in respect to 

 growth of those trees which are sown, over such trees as are planted."— 

 Planter's Calendar, p. 43. The same writer prefers, and with great 

 justice, this mode of raising the Scotch Pine and the Larch. 



The late Dr Yule, an able botanist, in an excellent paper which he 

 gave to the Horticultural Society of Edinburgh, (for want, as he re- 

 marked to me, of a more appropriate body to which he might commu- 

 nicate it,) strongly recommends the sowing of seeds, for permanent 

 plantations. " It is a well ascertained fact (he says) that seedlings 

 allowed to remain in their original station, will, in the course of a few 

 seasons, far overtop common nursed plants, which are several years 

 older. This principle, however, is of course strictly applicable to forest- 

 timber trees. Where shelter or ornament is speedily wanted, the trans- 

 planting of grown trees, laying, budding, inarching, and other means 

 must consequently be substituted." — Horticidt. Mem.Yol. ii. pp. 418, 419. 



The ingenious author of the "Encyclopaedia of Agriculture," on impar- 

 tially considering these different opinions, observes, respecting those of 

 Sang and Yule in particular, that they seem to be founded on the idea 



