1 86 The Journal of Forestry. 



in the yard much time and Libour are saved, as the men can put their 

 hands at once on the size of wood they require. In some places, both 

 in England and Scotland, the kilns are thatched over with straw and 

 sand, but if it is possible at all to obtain it we would very strongly 

 recommend turf as a substitute for this purpose. A single trial of it 

 will show that there is a great saving of charcoal by its use. When 

 sandis used, it is constantly finding its way down amongst the wood ; 

 and as a result of that the charring process is not fully completed; for 

 wlien the kiln is put out and the charcoal is being measured up, 

 large quantities of wood are found in a half-charred state, which have 

 to be kept back and done over again in the next kiln. Our readers 

 will have seen that this subject is to be discussed at the annual 

 meeting of ^the Scottish Arboricultural Society in November next, 

 and we trust that it will then receive that attention its importance 

 deserves. 



Advantage should be taken of the dry weather this month to get 

 all the oak trees carted to the saw-mill, or wherever their destination 

 may be, as they have often to be dragged a considerable distance 

 before being laid on the cart, and if it is done in wet, slushy weather 

 the trees get all pasted over with gritty mud, which tells most 

 disastrously upon the saws, when the trees are being planked. 

 If the carting is done immediately, weather permitting, it also lightens 

 horse labour, as the drives throughout the plantations are firm, and 

 can stand a very great amount of traftic without being cut up. It is 

 quite certain that nothing puts a horse out of condition quicker than 

 the jolting of a wood-cart on a heavy road, and the price of these 

 animals just now is a consideration not to be overlooked. Those 

 hedges at the side of plantations that are not cleaned with the spade 

 should now be gone over, and all grass and nettles should be cleaned 

 away from their roots with a hook, as the growth of these prevents 

 the hedges thickening, and the decayed straw is a great hindrance to 

 the workmen when trimming them in the winter months. 



Pruning or switching hedges at this seasonis very beneficial to those that 

 are apt to become bare and open at the bottom, the upper half of which 

 sliould be switched with the knife at least twice during the summer, 

 early in July, and again in August, which will induce a young growth 

 from the bottom, and along with the lower half of the hedge it ought 

 not to be cut in till the winter trimming. It is scarcely necessary to 

 add that weeds must never be allowed to overrun and smother the 

 growth in thin-bottomed hedges. Those ornamental hedges that are 

 cut twice in the year should receive their summer trimming early 

 this month, as it enables them to push forward and ripen a second 

 growth before the autumn frosts set in. If there is a great amount 

 of this work to be done, the switching knife may be used to advantage, 



