28 On forming Plantations on a regular Plan, 



material, inasmuch as it breaks the force of the winds. When 

 the beds are dug over, then the roads are to be holed upon the 

 same plan, leaving the holes in this case 5 ft. apart, which will 

 take four rows, allowing 2 ft. space from the edge on each side. 



1 recommend trees that have been two years transplanted, and 

 not exceeding 3 ft. high. These will be found to answer in- 

 finitely better than larger trees. It is a very common practice, 

 in planting, to hold the tree in the bottom of the hole, throwing 

 the soil over it, and then drawing it up, and shaking it, as it is said, 

 to get the mould between the roots. This should be avoided ; 

 for the obvious effect, or rather defect, of this is, to close the 

 roots into a ball, whereas they should be spread out widely. 

 Plant the tree as shallow as possible, consistently with its being 

 firm in the ground. 



If the land be of a loose texture, and properly prepared, one 

 hoeing, during fine sunny weather, in the month of May, for the 

 first three years, will be sufficient. If it be of a close tenacious 

 quality, a crop of potatoes (two rows between each line of trees) 

 in the second year will be very beneficial. In the second winter 

 after planting, cut off all the oak and ash, within 3 in. of the 

 ground. In the following summer select the best shoot from 

 each stool, and rub off all the rest : this will produce much 

 better ash poles, and much straighter and more free-growing 

 oak trees, than would otherwise grow. 



I have been led much more into detail than I contemplated ; 

 and part of what I have said may appear to many very un- 

 important; but I have felt decided practical advantages, and 

 much subsequent convenience, result from a little attention to 

 these minutias, and I therefore insist on them. I now come to 

 the main point which induced me to take the pen in hand ; viz., 

 to show that the thinning, so essential to a crop, need not be 

 deferred for want of opportunity to the proprietor to mark, or 

 from an indisposition to leave the operation to mere labourers 

 for fear of damage, if the land be planted on a regular system. 



Fig. 4. is a plan for one square of a plantation formed of 

 oak, ash, and larch, as an example. 



At the distance of 6 ft. apart, no thinning will be required 

 until the ash attains a sufficient size for hurdles, hoops, &c, 

 which will be from twelve to fifteen years' growth, according to 

 the quality of the land; or even eighteen, if very poor. At this 

 period cut out the ash in all. the roads, with a downright blow, 

 rather under the ground, which will prevent its shooting again. 

 Unless there be a great demand, this will produce as much 

 wood as could be disposed of at one time to advantage. In the 

 following year cut off every other ash, in the rows composed 

 exclusively of ash, with a blow in an upward direction, from 



2 to 3 in. above the ground, in order that the stools should 



