254 OF CHESNUTS. 



them as occasion requires, and trimming up the 

 plants with only one stem. In this state they may 

 remain two years, and if any of the plants require 

 it, stake them to keep them straight. At the end 

 of two years they will be fit for transplanting, and 

 may be planted out for good, if they are properly 

 fenced off from cattle ; but if they are to be placed 

 in an open exposure, Uiey ought first to be planted 

 out in a piece of ground, properly prepared for 

 the purpose, at the distance of two feet fi-om row 

 to row, and one foot in the row. If they have 

 been planted in the Autumn (which I would al- 

 ways recommend, except in wet ground, or when 

 the season is wet) let them remain till next Spring 

 twelve-month, and then head them down to two 

 eyes above ground, cutting as near as may be to 

 an eye, and sloping to the North, that the shoot 

 which is thrown out may cover the stem in the 

 first season, which, if the business be rightly per- 

 formed, it will do, and grow to the length of six 

 or seven feet, according to the vigour of the stem. 

 If they are not headed down in this manner, you 

 will never have straight handsome trees. If the 

 ground be properly fenced off from cattle, those 

 that are planted out for good, at three years old, 

 must be treated in the same manner after the first 

 or second year. It may, however, be necessary 

 to observe, that young trees must not be headed 

 down immediately after transplanting ; they ought 

 to be well rooted before that operation is per- 



