140 THINNING. 



self with a light but strong sharp hedge-bill, and pro- 

 ceed to work by cutting or slashing the tops off all 

 those destined to be thinned out, leaving the crop 

 upon the ground at about *7 feet apart, or say 800 

 trees to the acre. In thinning I do not usually mark 

 dead trees, as they always sufficiently distinguish 

 themselves, and the woodmen only require to be told 

 to cut all such wherever they see them. This, then, 

 constitutes the first and primary thinning. 



The second thinning of pine and fir plantations 

 should generally be done at about twenty to thirty 

 years' growth, when the thinnings are of some money 

 value, and are useful for stackyard purposes, props for 

 coal-mines, fencing-posts, cordwood, &c. 



If the thinnings, after being marked, are to be bar- 

 gained for and sold standing, the marking or rather, 

 the counting and booking must be very carefully 

 done, more so, at least, than is necessary when cut 

 by the proprietor's own men and disposed of privately. 



When marking for sale standing, I use a light 

 sharp hand-axe, with initial letters of the proprietor's 

 name or estate upon the head of it, with which each 

 individual tree is stamped ; and it is necessary to ex- 

 amine closely from time to time, and even slightly to 

 vary the stamp, so as to check any attempted counter- 

 feit of it. In doing this kind of marking, it is neces- 

 sary to have an assistant to do the mechanical part of 

 the work, and thus allow the forester freedom for giv- 

 ing directions, counting the trees, and booking them, 

 which latter he does by putting a stroke for each tree, 

 completing each five with a stroke across from left to 

 right, thus /%/, which facilitates the work of adding, 

 and secures correctness by relieving the mind and 

 breaking the tedium. 



