SECTION III. 



393 



that the tap-root is of material importance to full-grown trees, and that 

 when that is once cut off, the plant has not the power of renewing it. 

 " That the tap-root (he observes) is of the utmost consequence for the 

 first three or four years, is obvious from the economy of nature at that 

 age of the plant, perhaps for a longer period ; but that it can be of no 

 great consequence to full-grown trees, appears highly probable from the 

 fact, that when such trees are cut down, the tap-root is seldom to be dis- 

 tinguished from the others." — (P. 572.) Forsyth, an arboriculturist of 

 considerable experience, has distinctly shown by experiments, that trees 

 have the power of renewing their tap-roots ; and he further proves the 

 great advantages that are derived from cutting down trees, after two or 

 three years' planting, in order to form healthy and vigorous woods. He 

 transplanted, as he states, a bed of Oak-plants, cutting the tap-roots 

 near to some of the side roots, or fibres springing from them. In the 

 second 3^ear after, he headed down the one half of the plants, and left 

 the other half to nature. In the first season, those headed down made 

 six feet long, and upwards, and completely covered the head of the old 

 stem, leaving only a faint cicatrix, and produced new tap-roots upwards 

 of two feet and a-half long. That half of the plants which w^as not 

 headed down, was not one fourth part the size of the others. Some 

 time after, when he wrote the account, one of the plants cut over was 

 found to be eighteen feet high, and fifteen inches in circumference at 

 six inches from the ground ; while one of the largest of the plants not 

 cut over, measured only five feet and a half in height, and three inches 

 and three quarters in circumference.— See Treatise on Fruit Trees, 

 p. 144. 



On considering the whole question, it appears to me, that as the Pine 

 and Fir species receive the greatest check from transplanting, and as, 

 when planted at four and five years old, they do not readily grow to 

 timber, it is clear, that they should always be sowed, or at least planted 

 very young, in high and cold regions. Respecting all trees that stool, 

 I entirely concur in opinion with the intelligent author of the "Encyclo- 

 paedia of Gardening," that, with any tolerable soil and ^\\Mi2iX\(m, planting 

 will he found preferable to sowing, if strong and healthy plants be used, 

 and such as have not been too much drawn up by the heat of the nur- 

 sery, taking care to cut them down after the second, or, much better, 

 after the third year, when they have been established in the ground. 



Note II. Page 59. 



As I consider Miller as one of the greatest authorities we have, for 

 whatever relates to trees, I shall beg leave to give his opinion at large 



