892 AMERICAN FOREST PLANTATIONS. 
I apprehend that one rule, which is certainly alike appli- 
cable to both sides of the Atlantic—that, namely, of the abso- 
lute exclusion of domestic quadrupeds from all woods, old or 
young, not destined for the axe—would be least likely to be ob- 
served in our practice. The need of shade for cattle, and our 
inveterate habits in this respect, are much more serious obstacles 
to compliance with this precept than any inherent difficulty in 
the thing itself ; for there is no good reason why our cattle may 
not be kept out of our woods as well as out of our wheatfields. 
When forest-planting is earnestly and perseveringly practised, 
means of overcoming this difficulty will be found, and our hus- 
bandry will be modified to meet the exigency. 
The best general advice that can be offered, in the want of 
an experimental code, is to make every plantation consist of a 
great variety of trees, and this not only because nature favors a 
diversified forest-crop, but because the chances of success 
among a multitude of species are far greater than if we confine 
ourselves to one or two. 
It will doubtless be found that in our scorching summer, es- 
pecially on bare plains, shade for young plants is even more 
necessary than in most parts of Europe, and hence a fair propor- 
tion of rapidly growing trees and shrubs, even if themselves of 
little intrinsic value, ought to be regarded as an indispensable 
feature in every young plantation. These trees should be of 
species which bear a full supply of air and light, and therefore, 
in the order of nature, precede those which are of greater value 
for the permanent wood ; and it would be a prudent measure to 
seed the ground with a stock of such plants, a year or two be- 
fore sowing or transplanting the more valuable varieties. 
More specific rules than these cannot at present well be 
given, but very brief experiments, even if not in all respects 
wisely conducted, will suflice to determine the main question: 
whether in a given locality this or that particular tree can ad- 
vantageously be propagated or introduced. The special proces- 
ses of arboriculture suited to the ends of the planter may be 
gathered partly from cautious imitation of European practice, 
