AMONG THE OAKS 117 



special preparation of seed-beds; but the early 

 development is always best, with the oak as 

 with all other kinds of trees, when the soil 

 has been loosened, and thus aerated and rendered 

 more easily penetrable by the tiny rootlets of 

 young plants. 



As soon as the seedling crop appears the 

 seed-bearers have soon to be removed, because 

 the young oak is impatient of even the com- 

 paratively light and broken shade cast on it 

 by the parent trees. This is especially the case 

 on rather poor and dry soils, where the young 

 seedlings cannot thrive if deprived of the dewfall 

 at night. On a good, fresh soil, however, there 

 is less risk of damage being done by the over- 

 shadowing of the mature crop, so that its re- 

 moval can in this case be extended over a 

 somewhat longer time than would otherwise be 

 advisable. 



As the parent trees are removed, the blanks 

 thus formed may be filled either by sowing 

 acorns or by planting ; while other blank spaces, 

 perhaps caused by their being poorer patches of 

 soil, or arising from any other physical reason, 

 can also be sown or planted with beech, ash, syca- 



