t ^71 1 



This mifchief, however, in Lord Aileftury'a 

 neighbourhood, hai been inconfiderable, in compa- 

 rifon with that done to the plantations of the gen- 

 tleman alluded to by your letter* Plantations here 

 have fuffered much more material Injury, by not 

 having been properly thinned on growing up. 

 Gentlemen, whofe difpofition leads them to make 

 plantations, have feldom refolution enough to make 

 ufe of the ax as they enlarge, and the confequence 

 is, that the trees run each other up into ftriplings, 

 and feldom if ever make fine timber j yet it is ne- 

 cefTary they fhould at firft be planted pretty thick, 

 cfpecially in expofed fituations for fhelterj and if 

 horfe chefnut, Scotch fir, fycamore, and other faft- 

 growing trees of fmall value as timber, are planted 

 with better kinds of trees, they will pay well to be 

 thinned out, and furnilli no temptation to the owner 

 to keep them growing too long. 



I am forry to fay, that except on fome parts of 

 the eftate of Lord Ailefbury, who for the laft thirty 

 or forty years has paid unremitting attention to 

 this important article, the ftate of oak and other 

 timber in this neighbourhood is not to be boafted 

 of} and even on his manors, it is fometimes a diffi- 

 cult matter to prevent the lopping and pollarding 

 timber-trees, particularly of alb, which will burn 

 while green. 



The 



