MIXED HARD-WOOD PLANTATIONS. 149 



tion is one of a moderate exposure, such a plantation 

 will, at ten or twelve years' standing, very probably 

 be in a state requiring to be thinned for the first time. 

 In examining the state of such a young hard-wood 

 plantation, with the view of ascertaining whether it 

 may be proper to thin or not, go carefully through 

 among the trees, and mark particularly the state of 

 the hard-wood plants, observing if the branches of 

 the firs are not encroaching too far upon them, 

 either so as to overtop them or to confine them too 

 much upon any side. My method of proceeding in 

 the management of young hard-wood plantations at 

 the stage above stated is as follows : — 



About two years before I consider it necessary to 

 begin thinning out any of the firs, I go over all the 

 hard-wood plants, and prune from them all strong 

 branches that may have the appearance of gaining 

 strength upon the top shoots, as also cutting away 

 with a hedge-knife any of the fir branches that may 

 be encroaching upon the hard-wood trees. This 

 being done, the hard-wood trees, having the advan- 

 tage of shelter all about them after being pruned, 

 make strong and vigorous shoots during the two 

 succeeding years. By that time they are in a 

 confirmed healthy growing state, and have com- 

 pletely recovered from the effects of any pruning 

 that they may have received : consequently they are 

 then in a fit state for being exposed to more free 

 air, as is always the case after being thinned for the 



