OF FOREST TREES. SECT. X. 



children. " The plantation and care of timber is 

 like buying the reversion of an estate for a little 

 money expended, we become heirs to great sums. 

 In countries scarce of firing, and where poles and 

 rails are wanted, underwood will pay the proprietor 

 triple more value than the best fields of corn, and 

 the oaks among it remain a great estate to succeeding 

 generations." Poor land, that does not answer for 

 corn, would be profitably cultivated in wood; but 

 such ground should be sown, rather than planted. 

 Wet places may be advantageously planted with the 

 amphibious tribe, as willow, sallow, withy, osier, 

 &c. 



\ For those who may be disposed to plant forest 

 trees, the following directions are offered : -The 

 manual work proper to this business, may be gather- 

 ed from what lias been already said on planting fruit 

 trees and shrubs ; and though plantations of forest 

 trees need not be so nicely attended to as fruit trees, 

 yet the better the work is performed, the fairer is 

 the prospect in growing good timber : a check by an 

 error at first planting is a loss of time, and a da- 

 mage done to trees which is sometimes never reco- 

 vered. To give an instance : the mould is often 

 thrown on the roots of a forest tree in lumps, when 

 if a little screened or sifted earth were used, so as 

 just to cover them with fine mould, the trouble 

 would be amply repaid by the quick striking, and 

 future strength of > the tree. 



O 



Ground designed for planting should -be prepared 

 as long as it can beforehand, by the use of the plough 

 or spade ; and if some sort of previous cultivation, 

 either in corn or vegetables, were adopted, the soil 

 would be better fitted to receive the trees. At any 

 rate, the places where the trees are to be set, should 

 be previously dug somewhat deep, and cleared of 

 rubbislf, perennial weeds, twitch, &c, If wet, let 



