FIR PLANTATIONS. 131 



time that thinning should be commenced. If 

 the lower branches of the young trees have a 

 brown and deadened appearance, and the upper are 

 spreading so widely that in many instances the 

 points of the strongest of them touch the bolls of 

 others, thinning has been delayed too long, and from 

 the trees being heavy topped, and light in the 

 lower parts, many of them would be apt to be 

 blown down if thinned suddenly ; therefore, thin- 

 ning should never be delayed so long as to alloAv 

 the last-mentioned feature to manifest itself upon 

 the trees. 



Having, in the manner stated, gone through the 

 young plantation, and determined as to whether it 

 ought to be thinned or not, and supposing that it 

 has been found necessary to thin, it will be neces- 

 sary, previous to commencing operations, to exa- 

 mine which sort of tree has thriven best upon 

 the ground, and has the appearance of becom- 

 ing the most valuable for a permanent crop of 

 timber ; that is to say, if the ground has been 

 originally planted with a mixture of Scots, larch, 

 and spruce firs, examine each district of the plan- 

 tation as it may naturally divide itself into height 

 or hollow, sloping banks or level ground, and ascer- 

 tain which variety appears most healthy, and is 

 most hkely to come to perfect maturity as a timber 

 tree in each separate district. In each district 

 spare that species which, from general appearance, 



