195 



when planted, while the trees have made great pro- 

 gress, and where the water does not run off the high 

 grounds over it. The trees have drained it so that 

 cattle graze on it in many places, and affords a stub- 

 born proof that trees will drain such marshes. 



No. LXV. 

 Culnashennaig Farm, Argyllshire. 



The whole of the wood, both planted and natural, 

 on this farm, is very healthy and thriving, and had 

 the oak coppice stools been thinned in time, it would 

 have been equally productive with any wood of the 

 kind in Scotland at its age, both as to wood and bark. 

 I may here observe by the way, that all oak coppice 

 stools should be thinned out the year after being cut 

 for the first time, as by allowing the whole of the 

 shoots to remain till the age of ten, twelve, or four- 

 teen years, the whole becomes stinted and unproduc- 

 tive, and in some cases many of the stools die away 

 altogether, and many more never get out of the reach 

 of cattle when they are let into the wood ; whereas, 

 when thinned in time, the principal shoots get out of 

 the reach of cattle before the time of letting them in ; 

 early thinning should be most particularly attended 

 to. See this fully explained in my Forester's Guide. 

 The whole of the woodland on this farm is excellent, 

 both as to soil and situation for a natural oak wood, 

 and nothing will ever pay the proprietor better ; but 

 the delightful prospect of this farm, and from its 

 commanding eminence, renders it an object more 

 worthy of ornament than profit, and nothing in nature 

 could more effectually accomplish this purpose, than 



