AN ESSAY 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE OAK, AND OTHER 

 FOREST TREES, 



BY G. B. PERRY. 



Our "Good Commonwealth," -with a wise and liberal forethought 

 for the prosperity and comfort of after generations, has by her con- 

 stituted authorities, offered through the County Agricultural Socie- 

 ties, liberal rewards to encourage and extend the cultivation of the 

 •oak and some other kinds of the forest trees. So far as I have 

 knowledge, these offers have been followed with very Umited success. 

 Either from real or imaginary difficulties attendant upon forest culti- 

 vation, very few in this, and it is believed in other counties, have 

 made any extended effo rts either to raise the trees for their own ben- 

 efit, or to entitle themselves to the premiums. These difficulties I 

 have supposed, and still suppose, are more imaginary than real, 

 ■while at the same time they are operating very hurtfuUy in regard 

 to a great public and private injury. 



Recently, Richard S. Fay, Esq. of Lynn, in a spirit of a wise and 

 noble spirited citizen, has made a generous gift to the Society in this 

 county, in the hope the society being enabled to offer still greater in- 

 ducements, might be instrumental of turning the attention of some 

 of the citizens to this important subject. Wishing as far as may be 

 to help forward an undertaking so closely connected as I believe this to 

 be, with the best interest of the County and State, I have concluded to 

 embody a few observations embracing either thoughts that may have 

 occurred to my mind, or facts that may have fallen under my obser- 

 vation. These I submit to the Officers of the Society, to be disposed 

 of as they Avill. 



As the offer of R. S. Fay Esq., is confined to the producing of 

 the oak, I shall restrict myself to its cultivation, if not exclusively, 

 at least very nearly so. 



Before I proceed I will introduce a remark that may be of service 

 to those about to engage in this matter, Avhich is, that in very few 

 of the cultivated or forest trees is the hybridizing process so preva- 

 lent as with the oak. To such an extent does this manifest itself, 

 that I have no recollection of having been with a man into any field 



