CHAP. CXI 11.

CONi'FEIUE. ^BIE'TINjE.

2133

only in mild weather, when there are no drying winds, and, if possible, duringgentle rains. In the case of all the more tender species, the plants ought tobe surrounded by matting fixed to stakes, at a short distance from the ex-tremities of the branches; or, what is best of all, and serves at once as ashelter from the sun, a protection from the wind, and a guard against cattle, acylinder of wickerwork ought to be placed round each plant. No pruningought to be given to the heads, and nothing should be cut from the roots,but such of their extremities as are bruised. When the common vlbietmse,such as the Scotch pine, the spruce, the larch, and the silver fir, are taken upout of the nursery lines for transplanting, their roots should be immediatelyplunged into a mixture of loam and water, so as to cover them with a coatingof mud; and in that state they ought to be carried to the place of planting,and carefully inserted in the soil with as little delay as possible. For wantof this precaution, a great proportion of evergreen Abietinse, of three or fouryears’ growth, perish when they are taken up, and carried to any distance;more especially if the weather, at the time of planting, should happen to bedry. The Abietinte are, of all trees, the least adapted for being sent to adistance, unless in pots. After the Abietinas have been transplanted, andbecome established in the soil, they require very little care for a number ofyears, and, perhaps, less than trees of any other order. No care is requisite,unless in particular cases, either to provide a leading shoot, or to prevent anyof the branches from coming in competition with the main trunk; cares whichare always more or less attendant upon the culture and management of everykind of broad-leaved tree.

When plantations of Jbietinas are to be made on a large scale, the bestmode, in some cases, is, to sow the seeds where the plants are finally to remain,either in drills, which appears the most scientific mode, as it will admit of regularculture between the rows, or broadcast; and, where the surface is steep androcky, by sowing in irregular patches. There are many objections to sowing,however, which generally render planting the most profitable mode. A greatquantity of seed is required, to provide for the ravages made by birds andother vermin; and the labour of preparing the soil, if this is done properly,is greater in proportion to the number of plants wanted, than in the case ofplanting. There is also a certain loss of time; since plants three years old,which have been one year transplanted, will be at least three years in advanceof seedlings raised where they are to remain. On rocky steeps, however, wherethere is little or no visible soil, and where the seed can only be deposited inchinks and crevices, or sown on occasional patches of soil, this mode ofraising a wood of pines and firs may deservedly have the preference.

Very little pruning is necessary for the pine and fir tribe, whether they aregrown singly or in scattered groups for ornament, or in masses for useful pur-poses in plantations. In the former case, to remove any of the brancheswould destroy the object in view; and in the latter, if the plantation is ofsuitable thickness, the lower branches begin to die off of themselves, after thetrees have acquired a certain age and growth, and all that is necessary is toAssist nature, by cutting off the branches close to the trunk, the moment theyoegin to show indications of decay. Some authors contend that no pruning

hatever ought to be given to the pine and fir tribe; and that they ought tooe planted so close together, that the branches may rot off when they arequite small, as the trees advance in height. This is, doubtless, the manner

* which the clean timber of the pine and fir forests of the north of Europels P roc mced; but it must be recollected that this timber is obtained at a greatexpense of time; for, if the trunk is deprived of so many of its side

anches, while it is small in diameter, the tree must require to stand many

• **;? ” e % e ^ ew branches composing its head can elaborate a sufficientP rtion of sap to thicken the stem to a timber-like size. Some, on the otherwh' l recommen d depriving the trees of branches to two thirds of their height,nat i I f USt P^ ace them nearly in the situation of trees drawn up in their

ural forests. To us, there appears no reason for making the Abietinm an

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