NATURAL WOODS. 239 



off with the hand before midsummer, at 

 which time they will easily be displaced. 

 Also, to keep the wounds in a sound state, 

 until they are skinned over. 



The rules for thinning, Section IX. of* 

 Chapter IV. are to be strictly observed ; 

 training to straight boles, until the tree hath 

 acquired sufficient length of stem, perhaps 

 thirty feet, more or less, according to circum- 

 stances ; after which, THE HEAD MIGHT be 

 LAID OVER, for the formation of bends fitted 

 for ribs or knees. 



It might be prudent, however, that a want 

 of straight timber for planking, &c. be pre- 

 vented, TO TRAIN UP, perhaps, every fourth 

 or fifth tree, with light heads (to prevent 

 shading of those laid over) until of full ma- 

 turity for felling. Or, it might be as conve- 

 nient to appropriate a certain portion of the 

 grove, from the tims of laying over, to this 

 purpose. 



From the strength of growth, old stools of 

 this description would produce on stems 

 thus treated, we may fairly augur, that this 

 would be the most speedy of all methods to rear 

 useful Ship-timber. And it is well under- 



