558 On training the Oatcfor curved Timber. 



sufficiently that Scotland, in ancient times, reared oaks of no 

 inconsiderable stature ; and the huge logs of black oak 

 which are to be found buried in the mosses [peat bogs] afford 

 a clear demonstration that oak fit for naval purposes may be 

 reared in Scotland. The necessity and vast importance of 

 having a large and regular supply of curved wood for naval 

 architecture must strike every one who possesses a British 

 heart. I dare not say it is a lack of patriotism on the part 

 of the Scottish landlord, nor can I say how it is, yet true it 

 is, that there is not an estate in the country whereon oak 

 trees, to any considerable extent, have been planted, or kept 

 in training, expressly for the use of the navy. I am aware 

 that it is not necessary that all the trees required in building 

 a ship should be of the curved kind ; but well-formed curves, 

 or knees as they are called, are often difficult to be found in 

 sufficient number. To relieve us from this difficulty, a 

 system of training ought to be commenced by which the 

 requisite quantity of knees required for a whole future navy 

 might, to a certainty, be all put into form in the short space 

 of two years, or three at the most. 



If the honour of developing such a system have been 

 reserved for me, I shall certainly think myself singularly for- 

 tunate : but, alas ! the thing is surely too simple in its nature, 

 and too obviously efficient, to have escaped the notice of 

 those who, from time to time, have had the charge of the 

 naval forests. Nevertheless, I shall here proceed with the 

 developement ; and should the same mode be already in 

 practice, you have only to suppress this paper : if this be not 

 the case, I consider the method well worth the attention of 

 the forest commissioners. 



In or about the same year that I made my experiment in 

 preparing large trees, which you have been pleased to notice 

 [in p. 217.] vi^ith approbation, I selected a few oaks, in a 

 thin well-aired plantation, from sixteen to twenty years old : 

 I had their heads taken off, leaving nothing but a bare pole 

 seven feet in height. This was done in the course of the 

 winter months, that the stools might have the full advantage 

 of the first effi^rts of the returning spring. I watched with 

 great attention as the spring advanced ; and toward the latter 

 end of May the stools sent out, from top to bottom, from the 

 bark thousands of young shoots. I made choice of four of 

 the strongest shoots, situated at right angles ; the remainder 

 of the numerous brotherhood was rubbed offi From the 

 strength of the stools these four remaining shoots made con- 

 siderable progress, in the course of which I had them trained 

 out horizontally, as represented in the outline. {Jig. 128.) 



