60 PLANTING 



ovi /;u, Ftstitca duriusmla, Aira ccespitosa, Air a Jlexiiosa, Cynosurus 

 cristaius, ^groUu stolon if era ami vulgari*, AckiUea millefoliinn, Trifulium 

 ?/i///.N', and \vliitc clover. Game are fond of these grasses. 



CHAPTER VI. 



Of the Culture of Plantations; Soil; Pruning; Thbining; remedies for 

 accidental injuries and Natural Diseases of Forest Trees. Of the 

 Tanning afforded by the Bark of different Species of Trees. 



THE judicious culture of plantations is a point of the last importance to 

 secure a full return of profits from the capital expended in their formation, 

 (.-11 as for every other advantage that judicious planting confers ; for let 

 the care and skill employed in their formation have been ever so great, if 

 the proper culture be not continued from the period of planting to maturity 

 of growth, disappointment in obtaining the effects of wood, and loss of 

 profits will be the certain results. The numerous instances to be seen 

 almost everywhere of the bad effects resulting from the neglect of judicious 

 pruning 1 and thinning of the trees of plantations, and the great loss caused 

 thereby to the proprietors, evince fully the importance of this branch of the 

 subject, which embraces the following points : 

 1st. Culture of the soil. 

 2d. Pruning. 

 3d. Thinning. 

 4th. Remedies for accidental injuries, or natural diseases. 



First. The culture of a trenched soil of a newly-formed plantation, consists 

 in keeping the surface clean of weeds until the shade of the trees prevents 

 their growth. It is true that these weeds take a portion of nourishment 

 from the soil, but from what was before stated regarding the food supplied 

 to the plants by the soil, it is clear that the growth of herbaceous weeds 

 can injure but little, if in any degree, the growth of forest-trees. When 

 the trees are young and of a small size, however, the mechanical effects of 

 these weeds are extremely hurtful when they are suffered to grow and 

 mingle their shoots with the lower branches of the young trees, by ob- 

 structing the free circulation of air, and preventing the genial influence of 

 the solar rays from reaching to their tender shoots, and (his is evident to 

 common observation in the decay or deatli of the branches subjected to 

 contact with them, and in the consequent unhealthy appearance of the 

 leading shoot of the tree. 



Hoeing the surface as often as may be required to prevent perennial 

 Is from forming perfect leaves and new roots, and animal weeds from 

 perfecting seeds, is all that is required. Two seasons of strict adherence 

 to this rule, even in the worst cases, will render the labour or expense of 

 future \cars comparatively trifling, and the healthy progress of the trees 

 will re\\anl the care and attention. 



On soils planted by the slit, or holing-in mode of planting, it is essentially 

 necessary to pn vent the natural herbage of the soil from mingling with the 

 lateral branches of the young tree. An active \\orl\man with a steel 

 mattock-hoe will clean round the plants on a large space- of ground in a 

 day. Summer is the best season for the work, as the weeds are more 

 ellectnally destroyed, and the partial stirring of the soil about the roots of 

 such plants as require cleaning benefits their growth. 



Should the planting and culture now described have been faithfully 



