2382

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PA TIT ill.

immediately under the line formed by the circumference of the branches ofthe centre tree. As the larches advance in growth upwards, the branches ofthe elm or other tree will extend horizontally, and force the former to takea bent position outwards. To us, it appears that this is too servile an imita-tion of nature, and that a more effective mode would be, to bend down thetrees as recommended by Mr. Matthew, or to cut them over, and treat themin such a manner as to encourage a lateral branch to become the leader, asshown in the portrait of the Great Larch at Dalwick (fig. 2201. p. 2356.)Another method, which has been recommended by South and Matthew, whereit is wished to grow crooked timber, is, to undermine the trees, so as to throwthem over to one side, when they have attained a certain height, say from10 ft. to 20 ft. or 30 ft.; and leave them in that position to recover the per-pendicularity of their leading shoots, by their annual growths.

Probing the Roots of the common Larch , and laying bare those fitted for Kneesfor Ship-building. Mr. Matthew finds, from experience, that the roots of larchform the best of all knees; and that they might be much improved by culture,though the practice does not seem to have been attempted or thought of.The following are his very ingenious, original, and rational directions, for at-taining this object; and we would strongly recommend them to the attentionof all possessors of larch plantations, where the timber is likely to become fitfor ship-building: — “ To form the roots of the larch properly into knees, shouldthe plants be pretty large, the planter ought to select those plants which havefour main roots springing out nearly at right angles, the regularity of whichhe may improve a little by pruning ; and he should plant them out as stan-dards in the thinnest driest soil suited for larch, carefully spreading the rootsto equal distances, and in a horizontal position. To promote the regularsquare diverging of these four roots, he should dig narrow gutters, about 1 ft.deep and 3 ft. long, out from the point of each root, and fill them in with therichest of the neighbouring turf, along with a little manure. When the plantsare small, and the roots only a tuft of fibres, he should dig two narrow guttersabout 8 ft. long, crossing each other at the middle at right angles, fill theseas above, and put in the plant at the crossing : the rich mould of the rottedturf, and its softness from being chopped, will cause the plant to throw outits roots in the form of a cross along the trenches. When the plants havereached 5 ft. or 6 ft. in height, the earth may be removed a little from theroot; and, if more than one stout root leader have run out into any of thefour trenches, or if any have entered the unstirred earth, they ought all to becut except one, the stoutest and most regular in each trench. In a fewyears afterwards, when the plants have acquired some strength, the earthshould be removed gradually, baring the roots to from 2 ft. to 5 ft. distancefrom the stool, or as far as the main spurs have kept straight; and cutting offany side shoots within the distance, should it be found that such late root-pruning does not induce rot. This process of baring the roots will scarcelyinjure the growth of the trees, as the roots draw the necessary pabulum froma considerable distance; nor, if done carefully, will it endanger their up-setting ; and the roots, from exposure to the air, and freedom from the pressureof the soil, will swell to an extraordinary size, so as to render them, ere long,the firmest-rooted trees in the wood. The labour of this not amounting tothe value of sixpence each tree, will be counterbalanced thrice over by theease of grubbing the roots for knees; and the whole brought to the shipwrightwill produce more than double the price that the straight tree alone wouldhave done.” On this passage, Mr. Gorrie observes, that “ cutting the rootsof a growing larch is dangerous, and will inevitably produce rot.” M f -Matthew continues: —

“ The forester should also examine and probe the roots of his growing larch,eventhose of considerable size, in sound ground; and, when several strong horizontalspurs, not exceeding four, are discovered nearly straight , and from 2ft. to 5Jt.long, he ought to bare the roots to that distance, that they may swell, carefullypruning away any small side roots, and reserve these plants as valuable store,