154? THE PRACTICAL PLANTER. 



I come now to Pruning and Training the 

 Oak in the character of crooked timber. 



It may be necessary to observe, first, that 

 from the natural inclination of the plant 

 in question, there certainly will be less dif- 

 ficulty in training it in a crooked than 

 straight position, provided a sufficiency of 

 room be allowed. Secondly, that detached 

 or hedge-row trees, those standing on the 

 borders of plantations, or in open woods, 

 rather than in close groves or thickets, are 

 most proper for this purpose. And thirdly, 

 we ought not to deem trees of from twenty 

 to thirty years of age, too old for being thus 

 trained. 



Producing cuts fitted for ribs or knees, is 

 the chief object here ; and, to accomplish 

 which, if we follow and improve the dic- 

 tates of nature, will require little trouble or 

 expence. That these knees, &c. be of the 

 best quality, is a matter of the greatest im- 

 portance to the ship-builder and mariner. 

 Being produced from sound wood of the 

 trunk, rather than brittle wood of the ex- 

 tremities, will encrease their strength an(} 

 enhance their value. 



