ESSAY ON FOREST TREES. 97 



is thus increased, nn<l a moio rapid nnd vigorous f^rowth is the conscqusnce. The 

 acorns for planting onKs should bn taken from the largest and most thrifty trees. They 

 should ho. gathered as soon as they fill in tlio autumn, and kept in a box of sand till 

 spring. Then open them and plant such as have sprouted, allowing them no time to 

 dry. 



Bradford, Nov 30th. 1847. 

 There is but one difficulty in raising oaks. Like all larg'^ seeds they are apt 

 to rot if planted in Autumn. The best metliod is, to put ihem into boxes with dtrt 

 intermixed, and let them freeze very hard; place them in a cold, shady place, and 

 cover them with straw, quite thick. They should be kept frozen to prevent rot, until 

 the ground is well settled. A hole in the ground, on the north side of a building, would 

 be the best place. 

 There is no difficulty in transplanting them. 



Respectfully Yours, 



WILLIAM HALL. 



Mr. Hall is a very successful cultivator of trees. A man as certainly intended for 

 that business, as was the late worthy Mr. Manning. G, b. p. 



This plan, Mr. Allen says in a subsequent communication, he carried out and 

 much to his satisfaction. Young and vigorous shoots were soon thrown out, which in 

 a few weeks become as tall as those which he cut off. Good shaped aud much more 

 thrifty. 



Again, after several unsuccessful trials in planting (seeds of forest trees) on sward 

 land, I have ceased repeating them. I plough in June or July where 1 intend to 

 plant.— il/, Allen. 



Cur forefathers did not, so far as we are aware, plant forest trees for our benefit, 

 they did not aniicipate probably that our supply would so soon be likely to fail us; but 

 they planted fruit trees for oar henedt; and from common justice, to say nothing of 

 benevolence, we ought, as we can anticipate their wants to plant for the benefit of pos- 

 terity.— i*'. G. Fesseaden. 



The growth of oaks from the acorn is at first extremely slow. Whoever undertakes 

 thus to rear a forest, must exercise long patience and labor, as all philanthropists do 

 for the boncfil of those who will live after him. 



Young trees from acorns are apt to be shrubby and ill shaped. None of mine ap- 

 pear as though they would grow to sightly aud valuable trees. Some of them have 

 been planted five years, and do not exceed fifteen inches in height. My present in- 

 tention is to cut them down to the ground about the first of next May. — M. Allen. 



The best time for planting any kind of forest trees, I snppose, is at the season 

 when the seed is matured and naturally falls on the earth, in the months of October 

 or November. Some writers recommend the spring as preferable, but it is presumed 

 no other advantage can attend spring planting than something of greater security 

 against the devouring jaws of vermin. — M. Allen. 



A writer in the New England Farmer, who styles himself "An Observer of Na- 

 ture," says that the white oak adapts itse.lf to almost any soil, is of fine appearince, 

 and the repute in which its timber is held is too well known to require comment. It 

 grows moderately fast, and in ordinary sitautions it attains a diameter of sx or eight 

 inches in twenty years. 



The same writer observes that ornamental forest trees can be introduced with ad- 



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