THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 27. 
W4 
gvadually to a point, hipped-roof fasliion, and is tlien 
either tliatched, or covered with turf, grass side out¬ 
wards, to keep out the wet. In twelve months it is as 
sweet as a nut, requiring merely chopping down, and is 
never touched before it is wanted for use. Next to 
good turf, I i)refer getting soil from the sides of the 
highway, picking out the most suitable. R. Fish. 
WOODCRAFT. 
( Contin lied from paije 1 lO.J 
Preparing for Planting. —I have already described 
some methods of doing this, but I may with propriety 
enlarge them, to suit all cases, and shall commence with 
new plantations of moderate extent. 
In such a case, by far the most ecomomical mode, if 
the soil is good, is to have it trenched, or, at least, deeply 
dug. In performing this, let all perennial weeds be 
carefully eradicated as much as possible; and the 
ground well broken with the spade. The turf, if any, 
should be taken off thin, and put in the bottom of the 
trench, equally all over, so that when it decays the soil 
may settle down level. Should there be any wild 
bushes, such as Bramble, Furze, Black Thorn, &c., these 
should all be cleanly stubbed up and carted off to be 
burnt. I suppose, if the situation is wet that it will be 
well drained, and the fences put in order in the manner 
I have described very recently. When the space to be 
planted is extensive, and the expense of digging it all 
over is objected to, then let the places be set out where 
the trees are to be planted, and good-sized holes made. 
First, chop off the surface ; if grassy, lay that on one 
side, and then dig out tbe soil to its utmost depth, 
laying it also on one side to become mellowed by the 
time the planter brings his trees to be planted. In 
planting large tracts of land, I think by far the best 
method is to plant the trees in straight lines, at equal 
distances, first clearing off all the brusbw'ood that may 
be on it. If done so, the labour of making the holes 
might be let off to the workmen at a price to be agreed 
upon. That price, of course, will depend upon the 
nature of the soil and the state of the ground; but if 
the work is let off, an intelligent, trustworthy person 
should be engaged to see that the men do their work 
well and properly. The same man might be directed 
to set out the places wdiere the holes are to be made, 
and also to give in the account how much each man has 
earned every week. Such a man is called a gangsman, 
and he might easily overlook and direct twenty men. 
The distance from hole to hole, and row to row, depends 
entirely upon the situation, soil, and exposure of the 
site. In high, windy situations, poor soil, and full 
exposure, the trees should be put in much thicker than 
in sheltered places and good soil. By planting them 
thicker in high places and poor soils, the trees will 
shelter each other; and, when grown to some extent, 
will help to draw each other up with clean, straight 
stems. In such a case, the distance from tree to tree 
should never exceed three feet every way, that is, three 
feet between each row, and three feet between every two 
trees in the row. There are 4,840 square yards in a statute 
acre; consequently, at three feet apart every way, each 
acre will require exactly that number of holes making 
previously to planting. If the land is better, and the 
situation rather sheltered, then the space for each tree 
should be larger. Four-and-a-half feet square might, 
with prudence, be allowed to each under such circum¬ 
stances ; 3,(h30 trees will then plant an acre ; and, con¬ 
sequently, that number of holes will be required; and 
so in proportion to the distances from tree to tree will 1 
be the number of holes required to be made. ! 
I There are many advantages in this regular mode of 
I planting over the old and common one, besides that of 
determining the exact number of trees required for a given 
number of acres. If the ground is level and good, a crop 
of root vegetables, such as Potatoes, Swede Turnips, &c., 
might be planted and reaped, the first year or two, be¬ 
tween the rows. This cropping would naturally imply the 
keeping the ground clear of weeds, and the surface¬ 
stirring would encourage the trees to make rapid gi’owth. 
The pruning, too, would be more easily and systemati¬ 
cally done when the trees were in straight rows, than if 
they were planted in an irregular manner. If nurse 
trees are planted, they could, in such a case, be put in 
at regular intervals—perhaps every other would not be 
too many. But the greatest advantage would be in the 
thinning the' trees when they required it. Orders 
might be given, for instance, to thin out one-fourth of 
the trees standing on an acre the first year ; one-third, 
the second; and every other, the third, which would 
leave one-fourth on the plantation. These might 
grow three or four years, and then half of them be cut 
away. This method would be quite scientific and 
regular, and the commonest labourer on the estate 
might, without fear of a mistake, be left to thin the 
trees. Then, again, suppose the trees have grown 
pretty nearly alike, they might be more easily valued, 
because they could be counted exactly. 
Some may object to this formal mode of planting; 
but I think that objection a futile one ; forwdien the trees 
are grown up some twenty or thirty feet high, the 
branches will touch each other, and thus do away with 
the straight-line appearance. 
The late Duke of Portland sowed his acorns, or 
'planted his Oaks, in straight lines ; and where is to be 
seen finer 5 '^oung Oaks than at Weibeck ? 
Lastly, the expence of planting, and the cost of the 
trees, could be accurately estimated, if the exact number 
of trees required, per acre, were ascertained, which, by 
this regular method, could be easily and correctly done. 
The chief point I wish to press upon all interested in 
forest planting is that of planting early and planting 
well. By so doing, the trees would quickly push new 
roots before the winter set in, and thus be drawing up 
and accumulating a large amount of ascending saj), by 
which the trees would be stimulated to push forth 
strongly the season following. I would not leave a 
single forest tree to be planted after the new-year’s day 
had passed. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
GARDENING FOR THE MANY.— December. 
General Remarks. — We now come to that dead 
season of the year in which it is, unfortunately, too 
common to neglect the many things which might as 
well be done as later. There being but little that is 
really urgent, the mind is satisfied that longer days are 
coming, in which certain works can be as well done. 
This is often wrong; all earth work ought to be done 
early in the winter, in order that the frost may have every 
opportunity to act, and i\\Q jilanting of shrubs and trees 
ought to be all done as early as possible; evergreens 
by October, and deciduous things as soon as half the 
leaves are off. Supposing that all this descrijition of work 
has been done in the last two mouths, and also all other 
alterations intended, there is certainly more leisure at 
this season than afterwards; and the cultivator will 
enjoy that with more real pleasure than the careless-go- ! 
easy individual who allows everything to take its ' 
chance. Still, December has its duties as well as en¬ 
joyments; the plants that are secured in the frame 
must have attention paid them, or, in some joyous night, | 
