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fowing acorns, in the wild parts of the 

 foreft, is not fo fure, but much larger quan- 

 tities may be fown at a much lefs expence ; 

 and if one tenth part of the acorns fucceed, 

 the faving is great on an equal quantity of 

 timber. I cannot however help doubting 

 the efficacy of this mode of raifing timber; 

 tho I have often heard fenfible people, who 

 have lived in the neighbourhood of the foreft, 

 fpeak favourably of it : and it is certain that 

 timber is often raifed fortuitoufly in this 

 manner. We fee in the wild parts of the 

 foreft, trees, which have attained the growth 

 of ten, twenty, or thirty years, as far as 

 we can judge, without any aid; and are at 

 a lofs to know, how nature manages a work 

 of this kind, and rears this expofed part of 

 her offspring. Surrounded by enemies, it is 

 wonderful how they attain maturity. The 

 hog grubs up the acorn, as it begins to root. 

 If it efcape this mifchief, and get above the 

 ground, the hare, and the rabbit are ready to 

 devour it's iirft tender flioot ; and if it efcape 

 thefe little noxious animals, it becomes the 

 prey of deer, and cattle. And yet we fee the 

 fame kind providence in a higher part of the 

 creation. We fee the children of the cottaee. 



D 3 expofed 



