J47 



Wc need not, however, leave the mat- 

 ter in uncertainty, as it is notorious that 

 abundance of such defects are found in 

 every wood ; and so far from means being 

 used to prevent them, tlieir causes are so 

 little known, that they are generally con- 

 sidered as natural, and of course unavoid* 

 able. If we could trace events to their 

 causes, we should certainly find 7?iuch of 

 the present scarcity of oak timber occasion- 

 ed by the species of ignorance now spoken 

 of. 



It fortunately happens that however 

 much the three circumstances, which have 

 been noticed, retard the growth, and de- 

 preciate the value of trees, ?/ef tliey arc ait 

 such as may be avoided by a very moderate 

 share of attention. — We begin with the 

 first, the husbandry of sap ; which can only 

 be effected by bestowing some attention 

 to the stools, and trees, periodically. 



The first dressing of the former shojiJd 



