CruickshanF s Practical Planter. 4:65 



unexceptionable, is, to commence the process as soon as the 

 branches of different trees begin to run foul of, and interfere 

 with, one another." When more trees require to be thinned 

 out than can be brought to an advantageous market in one 

 season, cut off all the branches of the trees to be taken away, 

 and leave them standing till wanted by purchasers. To thin 

 out large trees from among smaller ones, without injuring the 

 latter, adopt the following mode : — Fix a rope 



" At such a height on the top of the tree intended to be cut down, that 

 the weight of the part below may considerably exceed that of the part 

 where it is made fast. The ends of the rope are then to be tied firmly 

 round the trunk of some one of the neighbouring trees to windward. By 

 this contrivance, the tree which has the rope fixed amongst its branches, 

 will, when cut through, instead of falling to the ground, remain suspended, 

 and may be easily guided to whatever side may be requisite to keep it from 

 injuring any of its neighbours in coming down. The rope being then 

 untied, the tree will prostrate itself harmlessly on the earth." (p. 178.) 



When thinning has been delayed till the trees have suffered 

 considerably from want of air, the application of it will then 

 be productive of harm rather than good. In the case of pines 

 and firs, it is better to let the stronger trees make room for 

 themselves by destroying the weaker. 



Chap. VIII. Culture and Management of the Oak. It seems 

 there is a general prejudice, among nurserymen and profes- 

 sional planters, that the climate and soil of Scotland, or at 

 least that certain principles existing in them, are hostile to the 

 growth of the oak. The erroneousness of this opinion is proved 

 by reference to native oak woods, by the oak timber-work in old 

 churches and baronial residences, and by the remains of oak 

 found in peat mosses. The failures in the attempts to raise 

 the oak have originated in this erroneous opinion. These 

 failures may be traced chiefly to two causes : the circumstance 

 of the oak being a tap-rooted plant, and by no means agree- 

 ing with transplantation ; and the tenderness of the young 

 shoots of the oak which require shelter. The oak, therefore, 

 instead of being transplanted, ought to be raised from the 

 acorn, in the place where it is intended to remain. This, as 

 the author acknowledges, has been recommended by Dr. Yule, 

 in the Memoirs of the Caledonian Horticidtural Society ; by 

 Mr. Sang, in the Planter's Kalendar; and, we may add, by 

 Evelyn, Miller, Hunter, Speechly, Billington, Emmerich, 

 Marshall, Gordon, and a number of other writers : and it has 

 been practised in the royal forests of Hampshire and Dean, at 

 Worksop, Bulstrode, Gartmore, and on various private pro- 

 perties. In Germany, the oak is almost always raised from 

 the acorn, planted where it is finally to remain. Some of these 

 names and places are mentioned or referred to in the Ency- 



Vol. VI. — No. 27. h h 



