WOODS AND PLANTATIONS. 385 



a state of closeness that it is almost impossible to improve them. When 

 this is the case, and an attempt is made to thin the plantation by taking 

 a few trees out, the first storm that occurs is almost certain to do a large 

 amount of damage, until ultimately the wood becomes a complete wreck. 

 Where the trees have reached a period when it is almost impossible to 

 improve them, the most profitable way, therefore, is to have the entire 

 crop removed and the ground replanted. This is especially the case 

 where a crop of larch and Scots pine has become drawn up, and left in 

 a neglected state for a length of time. 



There is a better chance of improving a mixed plantation of hard- 

 woods which has been neglected ; but even in that case, when they have 

 been kept long crowded and uncared for, they become matured at an 

 early age, and cannot be materially improved. 



When hardwood trees are planted along with larch or other trees for 

 nurses, with the view of the hardwoods becoming the standard crop 

 and the larch taken out as thinnings, the former should not be kept too 

 much confined, as is frequently done. We often meet with plantations 

 which have been for some time in existence, where the crop consists of 

 hardwood trees standing at distances varying from fifteen to twenty 

 feet apart, and larch amongst them. In cases of this kind, many 

 foresters allow the hardwood trees to be crushed, and more attention 

 is paid to the larch ; but the hardwoods should have sufficient space 

 to grow, as they are intended to stand after all the larch have been 

 removed. 



In thinning plantations composed solely of a crop of mixed hardwoods, 

 the principle of thinning should be to take out gradually, and from time 

 to time, the weakest trees, and those which are likely to make the least 

 progress, leaving those which are likely to come to the most value in the 

 shortest space of time as the crop. 



Many landed proprietors desire to keep their plantations thick and 

 crowded, from an idea that they give the most shelter in that state. 

 For a few years they no doubt afford a great shelter when kept thick ; 

 but, from their crowded condition, the branches very soon become dead 

 for fully more than half-way up the tree, and then there is less shelter 

 afforded than if the trees had been allowed proper space. When plan- 

 tations have been judiciously thinned, and the trees allowed to spread 

 their branches out to a certain extent, so as to meet each other, but no 

 more, they give a larger amount of shelter than if they had been allowed 

 to become tall, drawn-up, branchless poles. 



In thinning out plantations or clumps, the ultimate crop of which 

 is to form park trees or in pleasure-grounds, or in any case in which 

 the trees are wished for ornament only they 'should be constantly kept 



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