i í
ill
to i.
4} .
No. of Planta.
-1.3,560
. . . . 19,360
. . . . 10,890
. . . . 6,900
. . . . 4,840
. . . . 3,550
. . . . 2,722
. . . . 2,151
1,742 222
No. of Planta,
580.3. The size of the plants depends jointly on the site and the kind of t r e e ; it is universally allowed
th a t none of the resinous tribe succeed well when removed at four or more years- growcii; uui if the soil
is of tolerable quality, prepared by digging or summer pitting, aud th e site not bleak, plants of such hard
woods as stole may be used whose stems are an inch or m ore in diameter.
5804. Nicol is of opinion “ that, generally, trees three, or a t most four, years old from the seed, and
which are from 12 in. to 24 in. high, will, in any situation or soil, outgrow those of any size under 8 ft.
or 10 ft., within the seventh yea r.” {Pract. Plant., p. 130.)
.580.5. Sang observes, “ the size of plants for exclusive plantations must, in some measure, depend on
th eir kinds; but it may be said, generally, that the plants being transplanted, they should be from I ft.
to 18 in. in height, stifr in the stem, and well rooted. Plants for this purpose should seldom be more than
three years from the seed; indeed, never, if they have been raised in good soil. Many of them may he
sufficiently large a t two years from the seed; and if so, are to be preferred to those of a greater age, as
they will consequently be more vigorous and healthy. The larch, if properly treated, will be very fit for
planting out a t two years of age. A healthy seedling being removed from th e seed-bed a t the end of the
first year, into good groimd, will, by the end of the second, be a fitter plant for the forest, than one
nursed a second year. The next best plant for the purpose is that which has stood two years in tiie seedbed,
and has been transplanted for one season. This is supposing it to have risen a weakly plant, for, if
th e larch rise strong from the seed th e first season, it should never stand a second in the seed-bed. The
ash, the elm, and the sycamore, one year from the seed, nursed in good soil for a second season, will often
prove sufficiently strong plants. If they he weakly, they may stand two years in the seed-bed ; and then
being nursed one season in good soil, will be very fit for planting out in the forest. The oak, the beech,
find the chestnut, if raised in rich soil, and well furnished with roots a t th e end of the first year, and
having been nursed in rows for two years, will be very fit to be planted out. But if they be allowed to
stand two years in the seed-bed, and be planted one year in good ground, they will be still better, and the
roots will be found well feathered with fine small fibres. T h e Silver fir and common spruce should stand
two years in the seed-bed. If transplanted into very good soil, they may be fit for being planted out at
the end of the first year ; but, more generally, they require two years in the lines. Scotch pines should
also stand for two years in the seed-bed, and should be nursed in good ground for one year ; a t the end
of wliich they will be much fitter for being planted, than if they were allowed to stand a second year in
the lines. They are very generally taken at once from the seed-bed; and in land bare of heath or
herbage, thoy succeed pretty w e ll; nevertheless, we would prefer them one year nursed. 7'he above are
the hardy and most useful forest trees ; and from the observations made, whatever respects the age or
size of other kinds, may easily be inferred.” {Plant. Kal., p. 158.)
5806. According to Pontey, “ the best general ru lé is, to proportion the size of theplants to the goodness
of the s o il; the best of th e la tte r requiring the largest of the former. Still on bleak exposures this rule
will not hold good, as there the plants should never be large, for otherwise the greater p a rt would fail
from the circumstance of wind-waving, and of those th at succeeded, few, if any, would make much progress
for several years ; firs of 1 ft., and deciduous trees of 18 in., are large enough for such places. An
in extensive planting, soils which are good and well sheltered but seldom occur, th e most useful sizes of
plants, for general purpo.ses, will be firs of 1 ft., and deciduous trees of 18 in., both transplanted, None
but good-rooted plants will succeed on a bad soii, while on a good one, sheltered, none but very bad-
rooted plants will fa il; a large plant never has so good a root, in proportion to its size, as a small o n e ;
and hence we see the propriety of using such on good soils only. Smal! plants lose but few of thoir roots
in remova l; therefore, though planted in very moderate-sized holes of pulverised earth, soon find the
means of making roots, in proportion to th e ir heads. It should never be forgotten, that, in being removed,
a piant of 2 ft. loses a greater proportion o fits roots than a tree of 1 ft., and one of 3 ft. a greater proportion
than one of 2 ft., and so on, in proportion to its former strength, and h e ig h t; and thus, the larger
the plants, so much greater is the degree of languor or weakness into which they are thrown by the
operation of transplanting.” (Prof. Plant., p. 161.)
5807. Tke seasons fo r planting are autumn and spring; the former, when th e soil and situation aro
moderately good, and th ep lan ts large; and the latter, for bleak situations. Necessity, however, ismore
frequently the guide here than choice, and in extensive designs, the operation is generally performed in
ail moderately dry open weather from October to April inclusive. “ In an extensive plantation,” Sang
observes, it will hardly happen but there will be variety of soil, some parts moist and heavy, and others
dry and light. The lightest parts may be planted in December or Ja n u a ry ; and themoremoist, or damp
-■ 1 or March. It must be observed, however, that if the ground be not parts, in February or in a proper state ff____1 ...« :____ «.Uroto—roOT. . . ,iiuwevei,uiai ii me giuunu ue iioD siate
for planting, the operation had better be delayed. The plants will be injured, either by being committed
to the ground wlien it is in a sour and wet, or in a dry parched state. At a time when th e soil may be
termed neither wet nor dry, th e operation of planting is most successfully performed. The mould does
not then adhere to th e spade, nor does it run in ; it divides well, and is made to intermingle with the
fibres of the plants with little tro u b le ; and in treading and setting the plant upright, the soi! is not
worked into mud, which it necessarily must be, if in a wet state, evidently to the great detriment of the
plants. It is therefore improper to plant on a retentive soil in the time of rain, or even perhaps for some
days afterwards, or after a fall of snow, until it has for some days disappeared. Whereas, on a dry
absorbent soil, it may be proper to plant in the time of gentle showers, immediately after heavv rains, or
as soon as the snow is dissolved.” (Plant. Kal., p. 157.)
.5808. Pontey is a decided advocate for autumn preparation of the soil, and spring planting. “ Autumn
planting,” he says, “ is advisable only in few cases, while spring planting may properly apply to all.”
5809. According to Sang, the proper time for planting the pine and fir tribes, and all evergreens, is
April, or even the first fortnight in May. “ Attention should be paid, th at no greater number of plants
be taken up from the nursery than can be conveniently planted on the sarne day. Damp weather is the
best. When very dry, and the plants rise destitute of earth a t their roots, their roots should be dipped
in mud (puddlel, so as to be coated over by it. In all oases, care should be taken not to shake off' any
adhering earth from plants a t the time of planting.” (Plant. Kal.. p. 341.)
•5810. M'Nab, in his excellent hints on planting evergreens, chooses indifferently either winter or
spring, fixing on a dull day for winter planting, and a moist day for spring and autumn planting ; the
grand object being to prevent the roots from becoming dry while theya re o u to f th e e a rth . “ If the roots
of evergreens,” he says, “ be allowed to dry when out of the ground in spring, it is scarcely possible to
prevent them from suffering considerably, and showing the effects of this injury for a long period aftei
they are replanted.” (Hints, ^c., p. 6 .)
.5811. The operation of inserting the plants in the soil is performed in various ways ; the most general
mode, and that recommended by Marshall and Nicol, is p ittin g ; in which two persons are employed, one
to operate on the soil with the spade, and the other to insert the plant and hold it till the earth is put
round it, and then to press down the soil with the foot. Where the plants are 3 ft. high or upwards, this
i’r é r é î I S Î t o ,„,ve bscn aOoptocl 1„ which „„c pcrsoo
the final trees, and aftervTrds the nurses T v P ^ n ts those intended as
with the latter, unless the time for remov n s tlieL n L T « î fe P>""t the former, while another follow
be later than that for planting the p rZ im l s Thé u f fe'A?®® P’"®“ ^ " " 1^
shonghcd, i. e. earthed in, or, in common warden l a n sm L i f i ifev. fefeL ^ distance, should be
daily from the nursery, as circumstaiices'direct A^i V f ’ 5 ?® heels; or they may be supplied
thick aprons, in which to w r a f S r t h e plante^^ emnioyed ought to be pLvided ivith
being supplied by the fo rm e r a s ’occarifenTïy’rëqu^^^^^^^^ T'
ut one time, to prevent any of th e plants being too fons re tfn o d ife T fe i * hi! their aprons
man cannot possibly set a plant so well witli tlfo «nnf. ? fe fe’’® P '" " te r s aprons. One
nor, supposing him to do it as f e i r é a t l hS p U n f f l i r T T n f f e f ®"®® as two people can;
A boy ten years of age is eqnal, as a holder to the best fefe.fn.. re « i‘? f ® ®V'*®® f ft®
by the raifesf or p r o b a b ^ cT f e r eT w S T F d ? ” ^ ™ therefore be incrusted
two or three tinies, in order to loosen the soil th fn f L^^ t ‘he spado downwards to the bottom,
he next lifts out a spadeful of the earth or if feeceLafei reT { r i inm-tar for the builder ;
tread in the mould about it. This in stiff wet sod he doT hT h ^ i ? upn g h t, ancl to
continues to tread until the soil no longer retains the imnression of- t
longe? thfe imp e s & î ' Ms ff io t™ ÿ h f
time got the pit ready for the next nlant the hnv i= f L f u / ’i L f ®‘- fe’’® .’".a" by this
OT'-.-5814.i. Aliil The sia Olio meUwd.i/ic i/iv ti, eiiher fjtner siirip
simply or the T method. Is pot rccommchdod by Sang ; but „ccc.ssltv
may justify its adoption occasionally.there is no more soil than is absolutely m.U]y._ “ We occupied « e would would not by the not fibres recommend recommLud'ffiLtM'eL,]of the h Dlantine hv tn
f K f e J f L the i sift, I '“ “ ' '« r "fe’'““
■
angle IS 5 in . long; the thickness of the qoq
plate IS one fifth part of an Inch, made
thinner from the middle to the sides,
till theedges become sliarp. The length
of the iron handle is 7 iu. ; and, to be
sufficientiv strong not to bend working,
it will require to be six eighths
of an inch square. 7'he iron handle is
furnished with a turned hilt, like the
handle of a large gimlet, both in its
form and manner of being fixed on.
The planter is furnished with a planting
bag, tied round his waist, in which
he carries the plants. Astroke is given
with the dibber, a little aslant, the point
lying inwards; the handle of the dibber
IS then drawn towards the person, while
its plate remains within the ground-
inless where
" ^ m «4,1151,1* iiuiii m II LU me eye,m or ncive. ts m 16 in • and m it i
m m
other brush that may happen to be in the ivay, previous to ea sin i ftto
to easing the soil with the other end. 7 'he
r S s ) nursed ; and the expense is much less than by the spade.” (Plant Kal
apron , di„s out the eatth sufflciently to hold the roote of tho p l a n t ; and sets and firms it without heip
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