54 APPENDIX. 



appearance of health ; but fince, this praftice has been 

 found not to anfwer fully the end it was intended for ; 

 the trees fo left made but very little progrefs, and the 

 early planting, even in the fpace of ten years, has al- 

 ready overwhelmed them ; and now, when it is abfo- 

 iutely aeceflary to cut them down, there is a great dif- 

 iiculty in getting them through the young plantations ; 

 fo that, on the whole, it is much better to cut down all 

 the oak fmack-fmooth the firft day (which mode is put 

 in practice here of late years), uulefc Ibme particular 

 reafons demand the contrary. 



The holes were always made immediately before the 

 planting took place, as the foil was fo fcanty, that, by 

 making them any length of time prior to the planting, 

 it would be found much reduced by the weather, and, 

 from its nature, would receive but little benefit from 

 the influence of froft. Indeed, of late years, the mode, 

 that is ufually followed in fuch fituations, is, to have 

 two men making the hole, chopping the whole of its 

 contents within itfelf ; two more follow planting, and 

 fcooping the mould towards the edge of the hole, fo as 

 to leave a fufficient cavity to receive the roots of the 

 plant. By this means, not a particle of the mould 

 efcapcs through the heath and other fpontaneous 

 growths. The furface and under-ftratum of the holes 

 are incorporated together ; and, if the feafon fliould 

 prove very dry, the furface of the hole is mulched 



with 



