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466 THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. [October 8, 1881.

Forestry.

GROWING OUR OWN TIMBER.—It is at all times
desirable, but specially so at present, to grow sufficient
wood upon every extensive estate for all its
requirements. If the cost of importing beef from
America is such as to render the undertaking almost
profitless, how much greater must be the loss in
importing wood. The carriage of wood upon land is
such that it can only be conveyed a very short distance
without consuming the profit, hence the desirability
of finding for it a local market. Carriage by
sea is undoubtedly much cheaper than by road or rail,
and so long as the freightage is low prices will not
materially advance on account of carriage. The tide
may, however, and probably will soon turn, not only
from low to high freightage, but on account of
diminished supplies from abroad, where the forests
are melting like summer snows.

It is therefore strongly recommended that all landed
proprietors grow as much wood and timber upon
their respective properties as is required for thorough
maintenance of the estates, including fencing, waterworks,
fuel, buildings, &c. The question may very
properly be asked, why we pay foreign nations large
sums of money for wood, a great part of which might
be kept, or rather circulated, at home. From a
report by the Board of Trade for the year ending
December 31, 1873, I find the following statement,
amongst others, of great significance and intereste to
proprietors of woodlands, namely, £18,654,982, the
money paid by this country to foreign countries for
the article wood alone. That was probably an
exceptional return; but even with ample allowance
there is still a broad margin worthy of the attention of
those interested in the growing and disposal of wood.
We cannot grow all kinds of wood and timber in this
country more than we can all kinds of grain, but
there are some kinds which can be grown at home
vastly superior in many respects to what are grown
abroad, such, for example, as the Scots Pine, Larch, and
some kinds of hard woods. If any one is at all sceptical
in regard of this I would advise them to visit the Pine
forests of Deeside, Strathspey, and some of the woody
districts in Ross-shire and Inverness-shire, such as
Novar, Balnagowan, Beaufort, and many others,
where both natural and planted timber trees can be
seen in all their splendour and magnificence. Or
where the Larch is wished to be seen in perfection, a
visit to the woods and forests of Blair, in Athole, on
the Tay; on the banks of the Don, at Monymusk;
at Ballingdalloch, on the Spey; and Novar, Balnagowan,
&c., in Ross-shire. If at these favoured places
the trees, as such, are pleasant to the eye and gladdening
to the heart of any admirer of sylvan grandeur
and magnificence, it is equally certain that in point
of quality and utility they will be found unsurpassable,
if not unequalled in the known world. The justly
celebrated Scots Pine of the Dee and Spey side districts
have proved their durability again and again by
endurance as fence and gate-posts, in which positions—
the most trying possible—they have been and are still
known as standing from forty to fifty years. Of
Larch, again, I have in my possession some samples in
excellent condition after having stood as fence-posts
over thirty-five years.

There are, no doubt, well-defined and limited conditions
under which any species of tree grows to
perfection, and the Larch and Scots Pine are no
exceptions. The first condition is to plant the trees
only upon such ground as is suitable to them. The
second condition is to thin them, so that at any stage
of growth the trees may grow with a freedom and
vigour adapted to their nature, consititution, and
habit; and the third condition is to cut them at the
proper stage of ripeness, and at the proper season of
the year. Beyond proper planting, which includes
selection of the soil, situation, &c., the next most important
thing to attend to is the thinning of the trees.
It is much to be deplored that vast areas of plantations
are rendered less than half as valuaable [valuable] as they
would otherwise be for want of timely thinning.
In a large plantation of Scots Pine (over 1500
acres, and fifty years old) I had once an excellent
opportunity of observing the effects of thinning in
all its forms, and may state the value of the
trees thus:—Part not thinned at all, trees valued
at 3d. each. Part thinned when something over twenty
years old, worth 6d. each. Part thinned once and
sparingly when young, say twelve to fifteen years old,
worth 1s. each. And part thinned once at proper
age, say twelve years planted at proper distances,
4s. each. Now if we look at the value of the acre at
fifty years old, at the above rates, we find it stands
thus:—

[4 columned table]

1500 small trees, drawn up like poles, at 3d. each	£18	15	0
1000 small and branchless trees, at 6d. each ..	25	0	0
800 fine clean pole-like trees, at 1s. each ..	40	0	0
300 fine clean and fair-sized trees, at 4s. each .	60	0	0

It is not to be inferred that all the plantation would
have been worth £60 at fifty years old, even if properly
thinned, but it may be concluded that it would
have been worth £80 per acre at 100 years growth,
or even more, including the whole area, which implies
that some of it would have been probably over one-third
more money value than above represented. The
soil was thin and poor, but such as produces fine
quality of wood when at maturity at, say, 100 to 120
years. C. Y. Michie, Cullen House, Cullen, Banffshire,
Oct. 3.

FLORISTS FLOWERS

AURICULAS.—The plants require to be frequently
looked over to remove decayed leaves—the fanciers
would say every second day, we are glad if we can
look over ours every ten days. Some of the varieties
have a tendency to throw out too many offsets from
the base of the plant, which very much weakens it.
If the principal object is to obtain stock these must
be allowed to grow large enough before they are
taken off; but if the object be to have fine trusses
next spring, remove all but two with the finger and
thumb. We have usually removed the plants at this
time from their summer quarters behind a north wall
to a more open position in the garden; but they look
all right where they are, and the more cool position
may possibly prevent many of them from throwing up
autumn bloom. Do not give much water; just sufficient
to keep the plants from flagging.

CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES.

No time should be lost now in seeing that all the
plants are potted for the winter. We have finished
ours, and they already show that they are established.
We merely place the plants in cold frames, and keep
the lights rather close for a week, but not quite closed
either night or day. The plants that have but few
roots are better to have the aid of a gentle hotbed
just to start them into growth.

CARNATIONS PERPETUAL FLOWERING.

These will now be useful, as the earliest plants
will, with the aid of a warm greenhouse, be in flower.
Some years ago I saw a grand lot of plants in flower
during the months of October. They had been potted
in 12 or 15 inch pots, and were two years old. I
do not recommend this system; better results can be
obtained by putting in the cuttings in January, carefully
attending to the plants afterwards, and they
flower well in 8 and 9 inch pots. Keep them near
the glass, and free from insect pests. Greenfly is
sure to get on them at this season, but it can easily be
destroyed by fumigating.

DAHLIAS.

The flowers of these will be very useful for cutting
now and up to the time of frost. The smaller
flowered Pompons, and the single varieties with small
flowers, are the most useful for indoor decoration. A
pure white single variety with small flowers is yet a
desideratum. The large-flowered sort with several reputed
aliases is certainly very handsome, but the flowers
would be more graceful if they were half the size they
are. When frost does cut the plants down it is best
to throw a spadeful of earth to the stems until it is
convenient to dig them up.

HOLLYHOCKS.

Seedlings and spring propogated plants may yet be
producing blooms. Mark the best seedlings to grow
again another season. Attend to saving seeds as
soon as they are sufficiently ripe, else they speedily
rot if the weather is unfavourable. Attend to potting
the plants propagated from eyes, & c., during the
summer months. About the end of the month the
choice named varieties should be taken up, and if
there is convenience to store them in a cool-house
during the winter they may be potted. They also do
well if planted closely together in some light soil in a
cold frame. The plants require plenty of air during
the winter, but to be protected from wet.

GLADIOLI.

Except a few late spikes from small seedling corms,
or from offsets of named varieties, the bloom is over
for the season. It will be necessary to look over the
plants every day where seeds are ripening, and as
soon as the pods open at the top they must be picked
off and laid out in a dry room until they are quite
dry, when they may be put into paper bags, and be
stored away in a dry place in the pods until it is time
to sow them in the spring. The young seedling
corms that have been produced from spring-sown
seeds must now be carefully separated from the soil,
and be stored in paper also; a little dry sandy soil
should be mixed with them.

PINKS.

These should be planted out in the beds, which
ought to have been previously prepared for them;
see to it without any delay if it has not already been
done. The beds ought to be levelled carefully, and
the plants to be put out 9 inches apart. Preparations
ought to have been made to pot up all the plants that
are intended for forcing of the white and purple
ground varieties. If any spare soil has been left over
from potting the Carnations this answers admirably
for them.

ROSES.

Those who intend to purchase any plants should
see to it at once. The best plants are sold out early,
and it is not possible to have a good bloom next season
if second-rate plants are obtained late, and planted
so late that they do not become established before
severe frosts set in. If it is intended to form new
beds or quarters for Roses, the ground should be prepared
at once. The Rose, above all things, likes a
rich deep soil; and I find that the plants will succeed
perfectly, even in light soil and indifferent situations,
if the ground is trenched 2 feet deep, and plenty of
good manure mixed with it. When the Roses are
planted it is very desirable to put a spadeful of good
loam around the roots of each; a barrow-load will do
nine or ten plants. Some good plants ought also to
be selected for potting; and this should be done as
soon as the Roses will bear lifting from the open
ground. A word of caution may be dropped here—
Do not allow them to remain out of the ground a
moment longer than may be necessary. If they have
to be dug up in the garden at home they will suffer
but little from exposure to the roots. It is when they
have to be sent a considerable distance that they
receive injury. Of course they should be unpacked
as soon as they come home, and if they cannot be
potted at once let the roots be immediately covered
with soil.

TULIPS.

Let the ground be trenched up as soon as it can be
cleared of the autumn flowers. We have had a grand
display of Asters on the bed where our Tulips
bloomed; they are nearly over, and as soon as they
can be cleared off the bed must be trenched about
2 feet deep, and again be well enriched with manure.
Some good turfy loam ought to be prepared to place
on the surface; and in this the roots should be
planted about the first or second week in November.
J. Douglas.

Garden Operations.
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN.

Any wall trees that require to have their roots
lifted this autumn will be the better for being attended
to at once. All established trees that do not form
fruitful growths, and those that, although previously
fruitful, are becoming gross in habit, should be
operated upon; also all young trees that have been
planted two or three years, and have grown freely and
almost filled their allotted spaces, will be greatly
assisted by careful lifting. If the situtation is cold
and the subsoil of a heavy description it may be necessary
to elevate the trees somewhat above the level of
the general surface of the borders; and where this is
the case, the trees to be acted upon must first be unnailed,
and then have the branches slung in bundles
loosely to the wall. Where it is not necessary to lift
the boles of the trees, but where the roots only are to
be brought nearer to the surface, a commencement
may be made by marking out a semicircle from the
stem, taking for the radius the half of that of the
branches of a fan-trained tree, and, of course, for
other forms of training in proportion. A trench must
then be taken out to such a depth as to insure that all