122 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK 1. all plantable sizes, I rather advise our forester to furnish himself from 

 "^y^^ those places. 



3. The suckers which I speak of are produced in abundance from the 

 roots, whence, being dexterously separated, after the earth has been 

 well loosened, and planted about the end of October, they will grow 



have a little patience when they plant, and never plant any of these trees which are more 

 than four or five inches in the girt of the stem, they would in a few years, have better 

 trees than if they had put down such as were of a larger size ; besides, small trees are 

 much more easily removed, and do not require to be so strongly supported, nor is there 

 much danger of their miscarrying ; therefore it is much more eligible to make choice 

 of young thriving trees, and never to plant any large ones, unless where a small number 

 may be wanted for an immediate shade. 



In planting of Elms, great care must be taken not to bury their roots too deep, which 

 is very injurious to them, especially if they are planted on a moist loam or clay ; in which 

 case, if tlie clay be near the surface, it will be the best way to i-aise the ground in a hill, 

 where each tree is to be planted, which will advance their roots above the surface of the 

 ground, so that they will not be in danger of rotting in winter from too much moisture. 



The Wych Elm is by no means proper to plant in hedge-rows or open fields, as it throws 

 out monstrous large arms, on which account it is not so beautiful as the English Elm : 

 Few of these therefore should be planted, unless it be to make a contrast with the others. 

 Tliis tree, however, is very ptoper to be planted for woods ; for^ being near each other, 

 they will aspire like the Oak ; no great arms will be produced, but a clear noble trunk 

 will pi-esent itself to a great height. 



Whoever is desirous of having an Ulmariian, or wood of these Elms, must raise the plants 

 in the seminary, as before directed, and afterwards plant them in the nursery. The rows 

 need not be wider than two feet, nor the plants above a foot asunder, if ground is scarce, 

 as they must be soon taken from hence to form the wood : When they are about three 

 or four feet high, they will be of a proper size for this purpose. The ground should 

 be made ready for their reception, which 1 would advise to have done by double digging ; 

 but, if this should be thought too expensive, and the plantation is designed to be very 

 large, let it be ploughed very deep with a very strong plough, that the turf, or rich soil, 

 may be worked down, in order to receive the roots of the plants when they strike. This 

 being done, make the holes all over the ground ; and as these trees are not so large 

 as those planted for standards, they need not be so wide ; a foot and a half will be suffi- 

 cient. If the best mould, designed to lap the roots in, is not very pliable or fine, it will 

 be proper to let the holes remain open some time, and the mould must be exposed to the 

 sun, rain, and frost, which will greatly mellow it, and render it fitter for the purpose. — 

 The distance of these holes should be two yards. Having taken the trees out of the 

 nursery, cut oif all large lateral branches, and shorten the side-shoots in proportion to the 

 root ; and, having also taken off all the bruised parts of the roots, proceed to plant them. 

 After this, they will require no farther care till their branches begin to touch one another; 



