Cultivation of Grafs-Land. Thinning Plantations Underwoods. 6 1 7 



In plantations of timber and other forts of wood, il is neccfTary to attend to the 

 proper pruning and thinning of the trees occafionally as they advance in their 

 growth, in order to prevent their growing in an improper manner, and their injur 

 ing each other by rubbing, or being drawn up weak. In the firft view they are 

 therefore to be occafionally looked over after the third feafon from planting, and 

 fuch headed down, or othervvife cut, as may appear neceffary for their more perfect 

 growth. When this has been done, the only thing further will be to encourage a 

 leader, by fhortening all the other branches that appear to contend with it to near 

 ly one third of their length, in order to itrengthen the main ftem. The whole 

 that is afterwards neceffary is that of properly thinning the ftrong top branches, 

 and thofe on the fides, which may be done by a light bill. This is applicable to 

 trees of the for eft kind ; but thofe of the fir and evergreen fort require nothing more 

 than the regulation of their leaders, as that of keeping them tingle where they throw 

 out double. The lefs the fide branches are touched the better. 



The proper thinning of plantations or woods is a matter of the greateft confe- 

 quenceto the growth of the trees, as where they are too much crowded they are 

 apt to be drawn up weak. In mixed plantations the nurfe trees fhould be firft gra 

 dually thinned out, beginning with thofe of the moft inferior kinds, few of which 

 ihould befuffered to remain after tenor fifteen years. In performing this bufinefs 

 much muft be left to the judgment of the operator and the circumftances of the 

 plantations : but the chief rule is to keep the extremities of all the fide branches 

 fo as nearly to touch each other, and to have a due regard to the diflance of the 

 tops, not the roots of the trees, as fome require much more room than 

 others.* 



In the plantations in Nottinghammire, about the fourth or fifth year after plant 

 ing, the fmall fized birch and feedling oaks are grown to a proper fize for tranf- 

 planting. In the thinning of thefe, care is had not to take too many away in one 

 feafon ; as by being properly managed a fupply of plants for at leaft half a dozen 

 years is provided. About the fame time that the fmaller-lized birch wants thin 

 ning, the large ones require to have their lower branches taken off, fo as to keep 

 them from injuring the oaks : and this is the firft profit of the plantations, 

 the birch-wood being readily brought up by the broom-makers. This pruning 

 is continued as often as required, till the birches are grown to a fufficient fizc 



* Nicol s Trcatife on Planting, 

 vol. H. 4K 



