into one uniform mafs, without any pores, vacancies, or interspaces, between them; and, in effecting this, to bed the roots, and particularly the smaller fibres, evenly among pulverized fertile foil; leading them out, horizontally, or fomewhat dipping, from the part of the nucleus or bulb of the root, from which they naturally iffue; being mindful not to raife the mold too high before they are laid down, nor to force them down, before the mold is high enough to receive them; fpreading them out wide, like fronds of fern, and tire above tire; endeavouring to diftribute them equally among the mold; in order to give them equal fpaces, or range of pafturage; but, in endeavouring to do this, not to cramp them, or wreft them forcibly from their natural direction. If a root be longer than the reft, and too long for the width of the pit, a notch fhould be cut in the fide of it, to give room for the root to lie eafy, and at its full length, not more to assist in giving stability and firmness to the plant, than to enlarge the field of pafturage of its roots, in the firft inftance;-in the hour of need.

THE lower tire of fibres being bedded, in this manner, and covered over fully with mold (the thickness of covering being regulated by the fituation of the next tire of roots) they fhould be preffed down firmly, firft with the hands, and afterwards with the feet, to prevent any hollownefs

or

or falfe filling, and, in confequence, a fettling of the mold; which would cramp the upper tires of the roots therein to be laid; and, at the fame time, to give the greatest firmness to the plants, at a time when much may depend on the undisturbed state of the fibres.

A well rooted plant, put in with due precautions; fuch as packing in the fresh mold, by hand, while the plant is in a fomewhat heeling pofture, fo as to give freedom to the workman, and additional firmnefs to the filling; bedding the rootlets fingly, firmly, and divaricated, among the foil (fine mold being scattered over the hands of the planter, while he keeps each branch in its proper place); treading layer after layer, as the pit is filled in; and, finally, loading the roots with foil;receives an immediate firmness and ftability, which, in fheltered fituations, precludes the neceffity of fupporters, even to plants of fifteen to twenty feet high; indeed, well rooted plants, thus put in, feem to ftand firmer-ftiffer-after planting, than before they were taken up.

WITH refpect to the pruning of the tops, part of it fhould be done previously to the removal; the finishing part being done after planting. Lightening the heads before tranfplanting (and especially fhortening the lower boughs of the Pine tribe), A a 4

renders

renders the plants better to handle, and fecures them from ordinary winds, prefently after removal, But there is a twofold reafon for completing the operation after the plants are fet in their new fituation. The additional top, probably, encreases the acting power of the fibrils, to feed in their new pasture; and, when the feveral plants are in their places, the defirable form of the top of each, fo as to make it affimilate with its neighbours, and give the best furface which a fresh plantation of this kind is capable of admitting, may be beft feen,

IT may be faid, in general terms, that the top of a plant fhould not be touched with the pruning knife, while it is out of the ground; faving fuch part of it as is out of the reach of the pruner, when standing. The principal part of the pruning, whether of trees or fhrubs, fhould be done before the plants are taken up; the finishing given after they are replanted, and have begun to work in their new fituation. But the leaders of tall plants fhould be particularly attended to, while they are in a horizontal pofition.

The expence of tranfplanting is confiderable. Three men moving plants, near twenty feet high, and as thick as the leg, in the above-defcribed deliberate manner, and carrying them a hundred yards, do not move more than fix or eight plants

a day.

1

a day. This (with the previous expence of digging the holes), is not less than eightpence or ninepence a plant. It is true, by hurrying over the work, in a flovenly way, fomething might be faved. But the faving, compared with the risk of lofing plants of this fize, the lofs of labour, and the disfigurement of a plantation of this kind, is no object of confideration.

FOR further Remarks on this Method of Planting, fee the RURAL ECONOMY OF THE MIDLAND COUNTIES, Minutes 146 and 168.

MINUTE THE THIRTEENTH,

FEBRUARY 6. On TRANSPLANTING the PINE and FIR TRIBES, into plantations, or extended maffes of wood, the points or leading fhoots of their lower boughs fhould be taken off. First, to check the fe boughs, and thereby enable the roots to fend up a better fupply of nourishment to the leaders and upper boughs in general. For this purpose, if the lower boughs be numerous, they may be fhortened, even to the innermoft wings or pair of branches, with advantage: the Spruce Firs of plantation A. fucceeded perfectly, the last feafon,

under

under this treatment. Secondly, to prevent their encumbering their neighbours; the treatment being fingularly applicable to the Scotch Pine, in mixed plantations. In almost every place, the evil confequences of not attending to this are obvious. And Laftly, in the interior of a plantation, the fooner the lower boughs die and drop off, the more valuable the timber becomes.

BUT of the Pine tribe, fet out as ftandards, or in groups, or in the outer ranks of a plantation, the lower boughs are their best ornament. How rich is their effect at BERKLEY, at ENVILLE, and at FISHERWICK. But, even in this cafe, it is not always neceffary, or proper, to fuffer all the lower boughs to remain at their full length. If they are numerous, they will not only carry off too much fap, and thereby weaken the head of the plant, but themfelves become flender, feeble, and take a bushy unfightly form ;-whereas, by leaving a proper number of strong boughs, in fuitable directions, and checking the reft, the plant will at once be invigorated, and acquire variety of outline and strength of feature, as it grows up.

TRANSPLANTED Roots can only fend up a certain fupply of fap, and it is the planter's duty

• See RUR. EcoN. of the MID. COUNT. Vol. 4, p. 354.

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