NURStRY AND PLANTING. 



107 



atioMS. " Jt tlirives best," Sang observes, " however, in strong 

 deep loams, incumbent on gravel or dry rock ; but in all soils, 

 in which there is any considerable proportion of loam, it w^ill 

 thrive in a greater or less degree. In low situations, where 

 the soil is deep and moist, it grows rapidly, and attains to a 

 great size ; but in such places it is found to decay sooner than 

 it does in a more elevated situation, with a drier soil. In light 

 soils of little depth, although it grows slowly, it becomes firm 

 in texture : and the timber, though smaller in size, acquires 

 a state of maturity sooner than that grown on more cool and 

 retentive soils. In deep cold sand it will root firmly, and 

 arrive at a great size. In clay, incumbent on till, to which 

 all other trees, excepting the beech and the sycamore, have 

 an aversion, the oak will grow, and produce useful timber." 

 In good soils, and in sheltered situations, the oak will make 

 the most progress, and w^ill keep pace with many other kinds 

 of trees ; whereas, on poor soils and in bleak exposed si'tu- 

 ations, its progress will be but slow. In planting young oak 

 plantations, therefore, it is necessary to plant other ; .ees of a 

 hardier nature as nurses, to shelter and draw up the oaks, 

 which, without" this assistance, would never attain the charac- 

 ter or habit of fine timber-trees. The best tree to use for 

 nursing up oaks is evidently the larch, which is a rapidly- 

 growing tree, as well as a profitable one, even while in its 

 young state. The oak is propagated only by seeds when the 

 end in view is to propagate extensively ; but the scarce va- 

 rieties and species of exotic oaks are and may be increased by 

 grafting or inarching upon the common kind. 



The seeds of the oak are known by the name of acorns, and 

 ripen every season in more or less quantities in England, and 

 are in proper condition for being gathered about the middle 

 of October. Acorns were the food of the early race of man- 

 kind in almost every part of the temperate world, and in the 

 days of Strabo the inhabitants of the mountainous parts of 

 Spain ground them into meal. In times of scarcity they have 

 been ground and made into bread, both in this country and \u 

 many parts of the continent of Europe. " The study of 

 Botany, and the encouragement given to agricultural and 

 horticultural pursuits," Philips sensibly observes, " have so 

 wonderfully improved the stale of this country, that what in 



