140 APPENDIX. 



brity we have so long maintained for our 

 wooden walls defence : but this will never be 

 the case, if the system of transplanting oaks 

 is abandoned ; if pollard oaks are desirable, 

 transplant your trees, but if you wish for fine 

 timber, let your trees remain where your acorns 

 were sown, as no tree feels the injury of cut- 

 ting the root like the oak. 



I have known the acorn which was sown 

 in spring make a straight root of upwards of 

 a yard long by the following autumn, although 

 not grown more than one foot out of the 

 ground ; and while this root is allowed to take 

 the lead, so long will the tree keep a leader 

 and grow straight ; but when the main root of 

 the oak is cut, it will be all chance about its 

 making another leading root ; but, while it re- 

 mains uncut, although it may meet with stones 

 or other obstructions, it will find its way and 

 still keep the lead ; indeed I am fully persuaded 

 if an oak tree ten years old were planted, 

 and an acorn planted by it -in the same soil, in 

 ten years the tree produced from the acorn 

 would be the tallest, provided the other had 

 been transplanted; be it understood, that this 

 is a fact well known by many practical men : 

 I therefore have mentioned it for the information 

 of those who are unacquainted with the subject. 



