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Query III. — The probable value of the standing- 

 timber at distant periods, specifying those at which 

 it would be the fittest for the naval yards ? 



Answer. — To rear timber for the naval yards ; 

 having planted oak, Spanish chesnut, and Scotch 

 elm, the only kinds in general use for the navy, 

 at eight feet distant, plant from plant ; at fifteen 

 years, thin out to sixteen feet, taking care always 

 to take out the worst of the plants or trees, dress- 

 ing up the roots or stools of those cut for the 

 growth. The timber and bark produced from the 

 cuttings at this time will pay from L.7 to L.10 per 

 acre ; at thirty years old, thin out to thirty-two 

 feet, tree from tree, always dressing up the cut- 

 tings for the growth ; the thinnings at thirty years 

 will pay at least L.25 per acre. The trees at thir- 

 ty-two feet may be reared up to eighty years old, 

 when they will be good timber trees fit for shipbuild- 

 ing, say from one to two tons of timber each. It 

 may be here proper to observe, that many of the 

 growths from the trees cut over at fifteen years of 

 age, will at the age of forty have made more pro- 

 gress than those from the original plant ; so that 

 some of them may be reared with greater advan- 

 tage and propriety as shipbuilding timber trees, and 

 can also be made to grow more crooked if attended 

 to. By this method a crop of shipbuilding timber 

 trees fit for naval purposes, can> after the first sixty 

 years, be always kept upon the ground ; at the 

 same time, when the plantations are of any extent, 

 even granting it were only one hundred acres less 

 or more, a part can be always cut down every year 

 for the naval yards ; and part of them reared up 



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