132 THE HEARING OF 



is most likely to succeed well ; and, when tliinning, 

 remove those sorts which have not the appearance 

 of becoming good timber upon the soil. 



In commencing to thin any plantation, it is also 

 necessary to have in view its situation. The ope- 

 rator should keep in view that, if the situation be 

 a high one, he must thin sparingly at first, for 

 fear of checking the growth of the trees. At 

 the same time attention ought to be paid to ascer- 

 taining what winds prove most violent and de- 

 structive in the neighbourhood of the plantation ; 

 and having ascertained the quarter from which 

 the most injurious winds come, it is wisdom to thin 

 most cautiously upon that side, and thin more 

 severely in the interior of the plantation. But if 

 the plantation be sheltered, either naturally or 

 artificially, by older plantations upon other heights, 

 then less caution is necessary, and the trees may 

 at once be allowed more freedom in order to 

 develope themselves quickly and perfectly. The 

 operator having fully informed himself upon each 

 of the points above stated, he will next proceed to 

 have those trees marked which it is considered 

 should be taken out. 



In the act of thinning, particular attention should 

 be paid to leaVing, in all cases, the healthiest trees 

 upon the ground, and to cutting out those that are 

 most weakly, as the nature of the thinning may 

 require 



