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CHAPTER XI 
THE CULTIVATION OF THE OAK, AND THE DISEASES AND 
INJURIES TO WHICH IT IS SUBJECT 
THE oak has been cultivated in all kinds of ways, but 
by far the best timber is produced in what is called ‘ high 
forest ’—that is, the young trees all start at the same age 
and planted much closer together than they will be later 
on, their number being lessened period after period by 
successive removals until there is left a forest of large 
trees at equal distances. As it takes from 140 to 200 
years to bring sucha crop of timber to maturity, we may 
easily understand that such are rarely met with except 
as State forests, and the governments of various countries 
keep them going at various ages: one set of plantations 
will be ten, another twenty, a third thirty years old, for 
instance, when a given set is ready to be finally cut ever 
for heavy timber. 
There are many difficulties, however, in cultivating 
pure oak woods, and the custom of mixing other trees 
is a common one, for the young oaks need much light ; 
and yet, if each plant has the space given it necessary to 
allow of this light, it grows into a short and spreading 
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