PLANTING and PLANTATIONS. Plant ing is the operation of placing in the soil the roots of a plant which has been previously re moved. The manner of performing the ope ration may be reduced to one general principle; that of placing the roots in the soil so as to imitate as closely as possible the position which they occupy when growing naturally. The excavation for the reception of the roots of a plant should be considerably larger than those roots will traverse when extended 4 the time of plant; o, It should be as wide at bottom as at top. The hottem should he more' or less oonvex,and the depth such as to admit of the roots being covered to the extent ob served in undisturbed seedling plants of the same species ; that is to say, the upper part of the root should only be just covered. The lower roots 1-...!rould be regularly disposed over the convex bottom of the excavation, and care fully strewed with some of the finer portion of soil, over which the other roots may be spread. More soil should then be carefully rather than forcibly introduced. A plentiful watering should he given 'viten, the soil is nearly all filled in ; and after the water has subsided, so as not to stand above the surface, the latter should be covered with the rest of the soil.
Plantations are generally planted thick in the first instance, and with various species of trees. Larch, Scotch fir or pine, mountain ash, &re., are interspersed amongst the bard wood for shelter, or as nurses. Too close planting produces weak drawn-up timber, in consequence of the tops only receiving a due share of light. If, on the contrary, trees are planted at too great a distance from each other they are inclined to ramify into large limbs end spreading tops, with a stem short but much thicker than where the space admits of less expansion of foliage. If therefore very thick timber of no great length be required, wide planting is proper ; but if tall timber be the object, the plantation must be moderately thick. The proper season for felling trees is when the sap is most at rest; the operation ought not to be performed at any other time, unless for firewood. With respect to oaks, the practice of barking in the spring and felling in the succeeding autumn is by no means un objectionable, and on some accounts is deci dedly inferior to felling in autumn or very early in winter without previous disbarking.