152 THINNING. 



and opinion of his gardener, when twenty-five years 

 planted.' " 



The next Duke, John, the author of ' Pinetum 

 Woburnense/ says in the ' Farmer ' that his love for 

 conifers was a hereditary taste. It induced him to 

 form a pinetum in the pleasure-grounds, which rivalled 

 the collection at Dropmore. The " Evergreens " plan- 

 tation is now 143 years old, and is one of the finest 

 in Great Britain, all the excellences of which it may 

 justly and truly give early and proper thinning full 

 credit for accomplishing. 



