147 



CHARTER XI 



THE CULTIVATION OF THE OAK, AND THE DISEASES AND 

 INJURIES TO WHICH IT IS SUBJECT 



THE oak has been cultivated in all kinds of ways, but 

 by far the best timber is produced in what is called ' high 

 forest ' that is, the young trees all start at the same age 

 and planted much closer together than they will be later 

 on, their number being lessened period after period by 

 successive removals until there is left a forest of large 

 trees at equal distances. As it takes from 140 to 200 

 years to bring such a crop of timber to maturity, we may 

 easily understand that such are rarely met with except 

 as State forests, and the governments of various countries 

 keep them going at various ages : one set of plantations 

 will be ten, another twenty, a third thirty years old, for 

 instance, when a given set is ready to be finally cut over 

 for heavy timber. 



There are many difficulties, however, in cultivating 

 pure oak woods, and the custom of mixing other trees 

 is a common one, for the young oaks need much light ; 

 and yet, if each plant has the space given it necessary to 

 allow of this light, it grows into a short and spreading 



L 2 



