HOW TO GROW GOOD TIMBER. 273 



the edge of it will be almost contiguous to the plants on both sides. 

 This being done, the whole surface of the ground will be changed, 

 and the weeds all buried, except a few about the stems of the plants, 

 which a man following the plough should cut or pluck up. In this 

 manner the ground may lie until a fresh crop of weeds present 

 themselves ; when these are about three inches high, a common 

 plough should be provided to go up one side of the row and down 

 the other, to plough the ridges made by the double-shelving plough 

 into their former places, men following with hoes to destroy such 

 weeds as are near the stems of the trees. Thus will the whole scene 

 be changed again ; the ground will appear as new-tilled ; and in this 

 condition it may remain until the weeds call for the double-shelving 

 plough a second time, which must also be followed alternately with 

 the common plough as occasion may require. By this means the 

 ground will not only be kept clear of weeds, but the earth, by 

 constant stirring, will be more replete with nourishing juices, the 

 gentle showers will produce their good effects, the sun will have his 

 influence, and all the powers of vegetatiou will combine to nourish 

 and set forward the infant oak. This work must be repeated every 

 year, until the oaks are of a height sufficient to destroy the weeds, 

 which may be, perhaps, in three or four years, according to the 

 goodness of the ground in which they are planted. 



Still, notwithstanding the care sometimes taken 

 in planting, we have often observed that the 

 simple method of making triangular or cruciform 

 openings with the spade, thus — Y +, and carefully 

 dividing the roots in putting the plants in their places, 

 and afterwards well pressing the turf against them, 

 has succeeded as well as any other method. Indeed, 

 we have known plants put in with only a single slit ; 

 but this never succeeds so well, though it is more ex- 

 peditiously performed. Where, however, trees are put 

 in at so much an acre, the plan of action must be 

 specified, and the proceedings carefully watched, to 

 ensure its due performance, or the work will most 

 likely be done in the quickest, and not best, manner. 



