Foi'cst ]Vork for ilic Month. y"^}^ 



arterwurds kept in sand, may now be planted. Wlien larger beeds 

 such as oak, chestnut, &c., have still to be put in, it may be advisable 

 first to soak them in liquid manure. 



In marshy land plant willows, — the yellow willow [Salic nUdiiiu) 

 and the almond-leaved willow {Salix aningdaUna) lor tying up produce 

 and espaliers, and the osier willow {Salic ciniiiiali^) for the basket- 

 maker. 



Plucklcij, Kent. A. J. Burrows. 



SCOTLAND. 



It is not often that February has come and gone with such mildness 

 as we have this year experienced. Throughout the whole month the 

 weather has been most favourable for all kinds of forest work. It may 

 be premature to speak of the peeling season yet, but if the present 

 favourable weather continues, there is no doubt but it will be an early 

 one. Every forester, therefore, should do his utmost to get all neces- 

 sary work finished oft' before that time. 



AJ'ter deciding on the oak plantations to be thinned, all brushwood 

 likely to hinder the peeling operations should be cut down and carted 

 off. If the plantations are of great breadth it will also be necessary to 

 look out convenient lines of roads, on which to cart the bark to the 

 drying stands. These temporary roads should be formed in easy curves 

 and gradients, and will be found to be of great service in the way indi' 

 Gated, as well as for the after removal of the timber. If a wet day 

 happens during this month the bark chisels and mallets should be 

 overhauled, and put into working order ready for immediate use. The 

 cutting of Box and Holly, Yew, and other evergreen hedges should 

 now be carried on. The trimming of box hedges should be done Avith 

 the shears alone, as the hedges are very soft and lack stability, and a 

 false stroke with a hedge bill or knife in their smooth surface produces 

 an unsightly gash which takes years to fill up again. As regards 

 holly and yew, however, a clever-handed man with a good keen-edged 

 knife will do as much work as half a dozen men with shears, and his 

 work will also appear equally neat. Knives for this description of work 

 should be perfectly straight in. the blade, and will be found to work even 

 better if the point is rounded off" from the edge to the back, something 

 in shape like the blade of an ordinary budding knife. 



Continue the repairing of all kinds of wooden fences. Inspect con- 

 tinuous iron bar fences, straightening with a hammer and a wooden 

 block any bars which may have been bent by the pressure of cattle, 

 deer, &c., against them ; and the workmen should also carry some 

 staples or wedges with tliem, to be inserted wherever required. Also 

 look over wire fences, repairing or renewing the posts, and tightening 

 up the wires where they have got slack. Rotten posts and slack v/jres 



