APPLICATION OF THE METHOD. 47 



taking care only to operate thus on mature trees 

 that would have to fall in any case after a few 

 years. There will be no harm in doing this as the 

 decay resulting from the wounds will not have time 

 to sink deeper than the sap-wood. 



SECONDABY CUTTING. After acorns have fallen and 

 a few young plants may be found on the square yard, 

 we may consider the sowing complete, and it be- 

 comes necessary to give the young oak the light 

 their hardy constitution requires ; but at the same 

 time the ground must not be uncovered too hastily. 

 For this reason it is preferable to make at least two 

 secondary cuttings ; the first when the seedlings are 

 two or three years old, the second a few years later. 



FINAL CUTTING. It is only when the young oaks, 

 either by their own development or with the aid of 

 associated species, have formed a thicket on the 

 ground, that the final cutting can be safely made, 

 It is even advisable to postpone it yet a little longer 

 in wet and low localities exposed to spring frosts, 

 which are felt even in mild climates. Hitherto this 

 is the only effectual remedy that experience has 

 taught us ; the young crop, under the reserves as 

 left by the secondary cutting, must have reached the 

 usual height of the mists that accompany these 

 frosts. 



At the time of this final cutting, it is essential to 

 preserve all oaks that are in a good state of growth 

 and not yet mature in the true acceptation of the 

 term. Their maintenance in a sound condition may 

 be ensured by pruning the epicormic branches, as 

 often as necessary, clean along the bole, either with 



