11 



at first to reflect that a cabbage and a Pine tree should be 

 planted at the same distance apart ; but ignorance of this 

 fact has^pre vented, more than anything else, the growth of 

 good timber in Cape Colony. Planting as close as this 

 will appear extravagant to many, but it is the cheapest 

 in the end. To the weeds and bushy growtn of the trees 

 in sparse planting is added in S. Africa the danger from 

 fire. Even in the case of parks and avenues, the trees, 

 wherever possible, should be planted dense at first and 

 thinned out afterwards. The natural home of the forest 

 tree is the crowded forest where the tree has to struggle 

 upwards to the light. If perfect trees (and not gardeners' 

 bushes) are wanted, the only plan is to imitate Mature by 

 planting dense at first and tnmning out afterwards The 

 advantages of dense planting may be summarized thus : 



(1) Shelter: from wind the tree's greatest enemy; 



from too much sun j from drought j and from 

 frost. 



(2) A clean bole with natural pruning of the side 



branches, and clear timber free from knots. 



(5) A straight gradually tapering bole, instead of a 

 short, ill-shaped, and conical bole. 



(4) An early closing of the crowns and killing down of 



the ground herbage. Till this point is reached, 

 the weeds must either be continually removed at 

 great expense, or the plantation left in imminent 

 danger of burning. A stiong growth of weeds 

 will stunt the growth of the trees and frequently 

 end by killing t^em. 



(5) Not only does the clean soil of a close plantation 



minimize the danger from fire, but the absence of 

 wind in a close plantation renders easily con- 

 trollable such small fires as may occur. 



(6) A slow steady growth and good fine-grained 



timber, instead of a rapid growth and bad coarse 

 timber. 



(7) E vea-gramed timber less liable to crack and warp 



on drying. Cut across sparsely grown timber 

 and you will seu it with thick yearly rings in the 



