REARING AND MANAGEMENT OF HARDWOOD PLANTATIONS. 379 
In removing broken, dead, or decaying limbs, great care should 
be taken not to damage the trees in any way by splitting or 
tearing the bark. In order to obviate this, heavy limbs should 
be cut off piece by piece. 
Thinning.—On the manner in which this part of wood manage- 
ment is carried out, depends, to a very great extent, the ultimate 
success of the undertaking both from a utilitarian and esthetic 
point of view. Attendant circumstances must entirely guide the 
operation in this case. The time for thinning will depend very 
much on the progress the plantation has made ; in consequence of 
which no definite rule can be laid down for the carrying forward 
of this part of the work. The fact, however, that all the planta- 
tion will not be ready for thinning at the same time, may be 
taken for granted. The lower and-less exposed parts will be 
ready for thinning some four or five years before the higher and 
more exposed. At all events, whenever it is found that the 
nurses are commencing to encroach on the hardwoods, thinning 
should at once commence by removing them. This does not, of 
course, imply that all the nurses are to be removed at once. It 
cannot, indeed, by any means be recommended to give the stan- 
dards too much play all on a sudden. Sufficient relief can be 
given in some cases by removing the branches of the nurses, but 
after a time it will be necessary to take out one here and there, 
in order that the desired end may be attained. In cases where 
the trees have become one-sided, it will be found necessary to 
give greater space on the side opposite to that on which they have 
spread. By following this plan the branches will generally shoot 
out in that direction, and thus equalise their tops. In order that 
the side branches may have an opportunity of fully developing 
themselves, the lines of trees skirting the outside of a plantation 
should be thinned the more freely. This line of action will also 
have a tendency to strengthen their roots, and thus enable them 
better to resist gales of wind. A sufficiency of light and air 
should always be admitted, so that the trees may grow propor- 
tionately. Sycamore and ash may be grown more closely than 
other varieties, the reason being that they are less subject to 
throw out strong side branches. 
Less freedom must be allowed when thinning the higher parts 
of a plantation. The reason is obvious. Light and air may be 
admitted longer on slopes, and especially on the lower side of the 
plants, than on flatter grounds; and further, if the trees be 
