Jan."] THINNING. 1-8 1 



article of pruning, if the plantation be left too 

 thick, it will be inevitably ruined. A circulation 

 of air, neither too great nor too fmall, is eflential 

 to the welfare of the whole. This mould not be 

 awanting at any period of the growth of the plan- 

 tation : But, in cafes where it has been prevent- 

 ed by neglect, it fhould not be admitted all at 

 once, or fuddenly. Opening a plantation too 

 much at once, is a fare way to deftroy its health 

 and vigour. A timely, gradual, and judicious 

 thinning, is therefore obvioufly neceifary. 



The thinning out of plantations, however, is 

 liable to reftriftions, according to local and rela- 

 tive circumftances ; the fituation of neighbouring 

 plants ; their value ; and the value of the plants to 

 be thinned out. Thefe lad may be eftimated 

 in a twofold view : they may be valuable as ufe- 

 iul timber, or as nurfes to other trees. 



But in thinning, the confideration which fhould 

 in all cafes predominate, is, to cut for the good 

 of the timber to be left, difregarding the value of 

 the thinnings. For, if we have it in our choice to 

 leave a good, and take away a bad plant or kind; 

 and if it be necefTary that one of the two fhould 

 fall ; the only queflion fhould be, by leaving ithich. 

 of them mail we do moft juflice to the laudable 

 intention of raifing excellent and full-fized tim- 

 ber for the benefit of ourfelves and of pofterity ? 

 The worfe tree mould never be left, bur with the 

 \ iew of filling up an accidental vacancy. 



