1781. NORFOLK. 69 



fore, in every refpecT:, ten feet high is a pro- ^c. 



per height for a CHECK-BEAM. CHECKSEAM 



36. 



NOVEMBER 25. Oaks are obferved to grow PLANTING. 

 bcft, and make the fined plants and the moft 

 beautiful trees, when they are raifed undifturbed 

 from the acorn. The oak having naturally a 

 ftrong tap-root, it is almoft certain death to re- 

 move a large plant which has not been tranf- 

 planted or tapped whiift young : neverthelefs 

 if the tap-root has been properly taken off 

 from the feedling plant, it may afterwards be 

 removed at pleafure, with fafety. 



Oaks may be tapped by taking up the plants 

 and taking off the tap-root with a knife, or it 

 may be done as they ftand, with a tapping 

 iron, or even a common fpade ground to an 

 edge. This, being introduced at a proper 

 depth beneath the furface of the ground, cuts 

 off the tap-root; leaving the principal part of 

 the lateral horizontal fibres unditlurbed. When 

 the plants have got large (four or five years old 

 for inftance), this is perhaps the fafeft way of 

 treating them ; for the lateral ilioots in this cafe 

 receive no check whatever, but continue to 

 throw up a regular fupply of fap to the plant; 

 F 3 whereas 



