Extirpation of Weeds. zGg 



of his ancestors ; and, may have the satisfaction of renecting that he, in his turn,, 

 is preparing the same pleasure for posterity. 



As the cuhivation of timber is generally undertaken as a matter of pleasure 

 and amusement, it must heighten that pleasure, to unite with it the greatest utility 

 and future profit ; which is to be done by a preference of the most valuable 

 species, and by less attention to those of inferior consequence. 



The oak rs the true staple of our woods, and of by far the first consequence on 

 many accounts, in comparison of which, many other sorts may be termed mere 

 •weeds of the forest ; even its bark is a leading article in one of our most staple 

 manufactures, the wood is necessary for the defence of our country, and applica- 

 ble to numberless domestic uses: this can never want price, so long as any article 

 brings it. The ash, and the elm too have their manifold uses ; and whenever firs 

 and evergreens are planted, if the soil be suitable to English forest trees, they 

 should be at such distances, as that the oak, and the ash, may be introduced 

 between them, and as the latter grow and require more room, some of the former, 

 should be cut away. 



I consider large plantations of Scotch, and other firs, on land proper for our 

 best English forest trees, as mere weeds in comparison of what might have been 

 raised on the same ground; and have sometimes looked upon the large forests of 

 beech, in some of the counties near London, in but little better light; particularly 

 when I have by chance met with a very fine oak, here and there, in the propor- 

 tion perhaps, of one to an hundred beech trees ; when had the major part of the 

 trees been oaks, the value of the whole would have been many times doubled. 



I therefore cannot but consider the inferior kinds of wood, as coppice weeds, 

 when they occupy the ground that might and should have been planted with the 

 more valuable kinds ; but as every kind has its value and use, if it be but for 

 Riel, the planter upon a large scale will of course cultivate a variety of kinds, but 

 his attention sljould be principally directed to those of superior quality, which 

 should certainly have the preference in point of numbers. 



As no live stock can with propriety be introduced into a plantation, at least not 

 till the trees are well grown, there seems no particular room for choice of the 

 under herbage: the smooth underwoods should be encouraged, and briers and 

 brambles, if they appear, should be grubbed up, as making the plantation inacces- 

 sible even to its owner. I think ivy injurious to the growth of timber trees;, as- 



