THINNING. 169 



In the second ease, the treatment is similar 

 to that of mixt plantations until the nurses 

 are removed ; with this difference, that the 

 plants which are ultimately to form the group 

 must, from the beginning, be regarded as 

 the crop ; and the nurses, whether com- 

 posed of one or more kinds, must be consi- 

 dered and treated as temporary trees, ren- 

 dered subservient, and, in due time, giving 

 place to the others ; from which time, group- 

 ed plantations of Oak, Elm, Beech, &c. are 

 to be thinned according to the rules above 

 stated. But, 



3dly. PLANTATIONS OF SCOTCH FIR re- 

 quire a different management. The trees 

 will need no other pruning than keeping 

 the leader single : and to make them shoot 

 tall, and push few side boughs in infancy, 

 the plantation should be kept much thicker 

 than any of the above, for the first ten or 

 fifteen years ; proportionably so afterwards, 

 though in a less degree ; observing to cut 

 out all plants which have last their leaders 

 by accident, because such will never regain 

 them so as afterwards to become stately tim- 

 ber. 



