l6*2 FOREST PLANTATIONS. \Jan. 



trees are feldom reckoned of much value, until 

 the ftem be at lead a foot in diameter at the fur- 

 face of the ground. At the above diftances, they 

 might (land till they arrived at that fize ; but if 

 planted much clofer, few kinds would be of ufe 

 at the firfl thinning. It is therefore advifable to 

 look to the nurfes for a reimburfement of the ex- 

 penfe. 



If the nurfes confift of Larches, this expenfe 

 will hardly fail to be paid within thirty years after 

 planting ; the timber crop of Oak, Am, Elm, or 

 the like, remaining free. Ir has been mown, that 

 three larches are required for one oak or am \ and 

 the medium diftance at planting has been fup- 

 pofed four and a half feet. At this diftance all 

 the larches may (land for ten or fifteen years, or 

 until they would be u'fefui for various country pur- 

 pofes. They might, about that time, be gradual- 

 ly thinned out, excepting one in the centre of the 

 fpace between every four oaks, which would thus 

 be placed at the diftance of fix and a half feet 

 from each of them, and at nine feet each way one 

 from another. Thefe would afford fufficient fhel- 

 ter to the hard timber, and might, in moft cafes, 

 be allowed to ftand until they were twenty-five or 

 thirty years old, and, of courfe, very valuable for 

 many purpofes. 



This method of planting is clearly the leaft ex- 

 penfive, and moft effectual of any ; efpecially if, 



as 



