OAK COrPlCE-WOOD. 185 



take more of the character of branches than of trees, 

 and never will make a valuable plantation ; but if the 

 shoots be made to come away from that part of the 

 stock where the roots join with the main stem, and 

 which lies immediately under the surface of the 

 soil, they will partake of the character of trees, and 

 independent of the nourishment that they will re- 

 ceive from the parent stock, they will also send out 

 roots of their OAf n, and derive nourishment from the 

 common earth, and form pretty large trees if de- 

 sired. Now, in order to cause the young shoots to 

 issue from this point, the long grass should be 

 all cleared away round the stock, and itseh' dressed 

 off with an adze. In executing this, care must be 

 taken that the part where the roots issue from 

 the main stem be not injured ; but supposing 

 that three inches of wood have been left above 

 ground upon the stock, the workman will com- 

 mence by levelhng his tool upon it fully two 

 inches down upon the wood, and hew off this part 

 all round, gradually lessening the depth of his cut 

 as ho nears the centre or crown of the stock, which 

 is left untouched, thus leaving a fall from the crown 

 of the stock to its circumference of fully two inches, 

 and forming a convex crown. This form prevents 

 the lodgment of moisture, as well as causes the 

 young shoots to come away as near to the earth as 

 possible, which should always be aimed at ; and in 

 this manner, each and every stock which may be 



