ON PLANTING WITH OAKS. 153 



tion. This arises from the natural tenderness of the young shoots 

 and early leaves of the oak, which, even in the south of Eng- 

 land, are frequently destroyed or much injured by frost in May ; 

 while, in elevated situations, it is found that even the bark does 

 not so easily separate from the wood of standing trees after a 

 cold night. Modern planters seem to be all agreed, that the best 

 mode of producing shelter for the oak is, by first covering the 

 surface with the Scotch pine, larch, or birch; the first being 

 greatly preferred. After the nurse-trees have grown to the 

 height of four or five feet, openings should be cut in the planta- 

 tions thus formed, at the rate of from three hundred to five hun- 

 dred according to some, and of sixty to one hundred according 

 to others, to the acre ; and in each of these openings an acorn, 

 or an oak plant should be inserted, the soil having been duly 

 prepared." 



Young oaks are frequently injured by late frosts in all the 

 lower parts of Massachusetts, and the precautions directed 

 above must be not less necessary in our climate than in the 

 comparatively mild one of England. Instead of the plants 

 recommended by Loudon as nurses, our pitch pine, hacmatack, 

 and black, yellow or white birches, might be used, all of which 

 spring readily from seed. 



" The patches are prepared by digging and manuring with 

 lime; and each is planted with five acorns, one in the centre 

 and four around it. After two years' growth, all the plants 

 are removed but one, by cutting through their roots, two inches 

 or three inches below the ground, with a sharp chisel-like in- 

 strument with a long handle, made on purpose ; the plants re- 

 moved not being intended to be replanted. As soon as the 

 nurses overshadow the oaks, the plants that do so, or their 

 branches, are to be removed ; but ' all the Scotch pines and 

 larches that will require to be taken out before they are sixteen 

 years old,' Mr. Cruickshanksays, ' will not render the plantation 

 thinner than a thriving one of the same kind of trees would, 

 for its own sake, need to be at twenty years after planting." 

 When the oaks are five years old, they are to be pruned for 

 the first time, by cutting off the lower tier of branches close to 

 the stem ; and this operation is to be repeated every two years, 

 21 



