ALSTRCEMERIA LIGTU. 
189 
it firmly with his heel, proceeds in like manner 
all over the piece. It is impossible for the 
planter to keep in a straight line, especially 
in an extensive plantation ; but this circum- 
stance is rather to be commended than other- 
wise, for it is found that when in perfect lines, 
currents of wind get between them ; whereas, 
when in a zig-zag form, the trees are more 
effectually sheltered from the blast, and have 
a better appearance when rising above the 
heath. It is very important that beginners at 
this work should be narrowly watched, for 
unprincipled workmen, who have not hitherto 
practised this mode of planting, in order, it 
may be, to keep pace with those who have 
been accustomed to it, neglect to fix the plants 
properly, and, in some instances, leave spaces 
altogether implanted. 
The distances at which the larch and Scotch 
fir should be planted, is about three feet or 
three feet and a half from plant to plant, or at 
the rate of 4000 plants to an acre. Some, 
indeed, when planting the larch solely for the 
purpose of producing hop-poles, crowd 9000 
to 10,000 plants into an acre, which is at from 
two to two feet and a half apart; but in order 
to raise trees, part of which are destined to 
remain till they come to maturity, 4000 plants 
are found to be quite enough to start with ; 
for before twenty or thirty years elapse, this 
number will have to be reduced to about four 
or five hundred trees per acre. It has been the 
practice hitherto to mix the Scotch pine and 
larch in plantations, the former acting as a 
nurse to the latter ; but there is good reason 
to believe that the plants are in every respect 
better when planted by themselves. The larch, 
as is well known, is subject to a disease called 
the rot, which consumes the centre of the 
wood, until the trunk becomes quite hollow, 
like a pipe or pump; and there is little doubt 
that this is caused in a great measure by the 
want of a freer atmosphere, and an intenser 
light about the trunk when young. The 
swaddling of them, therefore, with evergreens, 
should be discontinued, especially as the larch 
is one of the hardiest trees we have, and re- 
quires no such nursing. It is, moreover, much 
more in accordance with correct ideas of land- 
scape, to have trees planted in masses by 
themselves, such as nature has them, than in 
individual contrast with one another, as is 
frequent in artificial plantations. 
The pruning of Coniferas is a nice opera- 
tion, and should be undertaken by those only 
who are well acquainted with the laws of 
vegetable life. The fact that common labourers 
are employed to prune or dress trees, is a dis- 
grace to England, and a convincing proof that 
arboriculture is yet in its infancy. The law 
to be observed with regard to the Coniferae 
is, that, in respect to the delicately organized 
structure, the removal of every vigorous 
branch is a positive evil; and that so far as 
the growth of clean timber is concerned, the 
deficiency of such a branch is another evil. 
The former is the cutting off of as many life 
agents ; the latter forms a scar or defect in the 
timber when in the hands of the carpenter. 
Common sense, therefore, directs us to grow 
trees, until of a certain age, without vigorous 
side branches. If, as already recommended, 
4000 plants be put into an acre, their prox- 
imity to each other will discourage any very 
strong lateral branches, whilst the removal of 
the weak ones can have no hurtful effect upon 
the timber. In this lies the whole art of 
pruning larch and Scotch pines. A continued 
care must of course be exercised, by gradually 
thinning the trees, so as to admit air and light 
to the boles, yet at the same time keeping 
them close enough at bottom to prevent strong 
horizontal growths, which are of no use to the 
timber merchant. 
ALSTRCEMERIA LIGTU. 
STRIPED-FLOWERED ALSTRCE1IERIA. 
This is one of the most beautiful of a very 
handsome genera, and one which, because it 
requires more care perhaps than many other 
plants, is greatly neglected, if not altogether 
underrated. The Alstrcemeria was once a 
favourite subject for prizes at the Horticul- 
tural Gardens, and some very noble specimens 
have been exhibited ; but there was no gene- 
ral emulation excited, although there is hardly 
a more showy or useful plant for the conser- 
vatory. The culture is simple, and consists 
chiefly of potting the plants out of their win - 
ter store-pots, which are generally sixty-sized, 
or forty-eights, into the pots they are to bloom 
in, using a soil of peat loam and decomposed 
cow-dung or horse-dung, and placing them on 
the front shelf of the green-house, and turning 
