224? THE PRACTICAL PLANTER. 



on its foot, can almost to a certainty lay the 

 head where he listeth; yet, if the bole be 

 crooked, and the plant be in a stooping pos- 

 ture, it will frequently take very unexpected 

 turns in the fall. 



5thly. PLANTATIONS OF SCOTCH FIR 

 sustain less injury by being kept too thick, 

 especially in youth, than any of the preced- 

 ing. Indeed, to produce tall, straight timber, 

 it is necessary to keep all young plantations 

 of Scotch Fir rather thick than otherwise. 

 Wherefore, such as have been planted at 

 about three or four feet apart, have risen well, 

 and are under ten years old, should not be 

 deemed neglected, provided attention to keep 

 the leaders single has been bestowed. 



Those about twenty years old, which have 

 not been thinned, and which grow on toler- 

 ably good soil, will require to be looked over, 

 otherwise they may soon be somewhat dif- 

 ficult to reclaim. At this age, they may be 

 thinned out to about six feet apart in the in- 

 terior, keeping the margin and parts much 

 exposed rather thicker. Within the next 

 ten years, thin them out, by degrees, to from 



