

March."] FOREST PLANTATIONS. 497 



the trees, in the prefent cafe, have greater en- 

 couragement to grow vigoroufly after planting, and 

 maybe more eafily afcertained to be entirely dead, 

 than where the natural herbage is allowed to grow 

 among them. 



While the beeting up of the hard-wood is pro- 

 perly protracted for feveral years after planting, 

 that of the larches and firs may take place the 

 firft fpring after the plantation has been made ; 

 becaufe, fuch as have died are more eafily dis- 

 tinguimed. In many cafes when a larch or a 

 fir lofes its top, either by dying down, or the bit- 

 ing of hares or rabbits ; fome of the moft vigor- 

 ous lateral branches are elected by nature to 

 fupply the deficiency, which by degrees afiumes 

 the character of an original top. Firs and Larches 

 therefore, which have frefh lateral branches, are 

 not to be difplaced, although they may have loft 

 their tops. Indeed, no tree in the foreft, or other 

 plantation, ought to be removed, until there be 

 left no roon^jd^hope for its recovery. 



While we offer the above reflections to guard 

 againft precipitate beeting, we are equally defir- 

 ous that it fhould not be left undone for too long 

 a time. 



If the beeting of plantations be left undone till 

 the trees have rifen to fifteen or twenty feet in 

 height, their roots are fpread far abroad and their 

 tops occupy a confiderable breadth of fpace. The 



introduction- 



