of the Northern Forest 53 



by their astringency) and several years may be lost; but 

 even then they keep on and in good time get their heads 

 up. There has been much writing as to the superiority 

 of transplanted trees over those raised from acorns, but 

 this is contrary to all the facts of Nature as seen in 

 every Oak wood, where the trees come so freely from 

 seed. Among the various sound reasons for raising 

 Oak from acorns is its economy and simplicity. An 

 important point is the renewal of existing woods in 

 which underwood has been grown for generations ; the 

 Oaks scattered through these are occasionally good, but 

 are often spoiled by their spreading heads. As under- 

 wood has now ceased to be profitable and its cutting is 

 often a nuisance near the house, it is better to replant 

 the wood with Oak, in which case we shall have to use 

 tall saplings. I plant saplings of from 8 to 12 feet high, 

 and when they come from good forest nurseries I find 

 they succeed, but they must have been moved often 

 enough to secure a fibrous root. 



It is a common belief that the Oak is a slow-growing 

 tree, and the contorted trees one sees in open places 

 to some extent warrant this opinion ; it is an error ; the 

 Oak is a rapid grower. Some ten years ago I planted 

 a small field with Pines— the hardiest and most rapid in 

 growth, some of them, like the Corsican Pine, growing 

 2 feet and even more a year, in favourable spots ; in the 

 soil brought by birds and mice a certain number of 

 acorns came up uninvited, and so far these have kept 

 their heads level with the Pines. Some years ago, too, 

 an interesting calculation was carried out upon my own 

 land on Oaks growing in underwood, recording the 

 growth of ten years. It showed a yearly increase of 

 from 5 to 7§ per cent, in value. 



