550 Thinning of Forest Trees. 



every object has a different form, but all is beautiful in so 

 much diversity. Who is not, therefore, easily convinced, that 

 it is extremely difficult to imitate nature in all her endless out- 

 lines and forms ? • • j 

 11. In staking out the grove, it should be borne in mmd, 

 that the single groups and trees along the sides of the paths, or 

 those that Ibrm the foreground of the picture, should never 

 form a straight line; that the trees in the grove stand so far 

 from each other, that the most of them, at least, may have room 

 to display their heads ; that they should sometimes be quite close 

 together ; and that the trees in the grove, although they stand 

 separate, and admit of views between, should form separate 

 scenes of themselves. When this is not attended to, when the 

 trees are at irregular distances, but always appear at the same 

 distance from each other, then the grove is no longer a natural 

 one ; because, even in groves, nature disposes of her trees in 

 groups and masses true to her laws, more of which shall be 

 said in another place. 



( To he continued. ) 



Art. IV. On the Thinning of Forest Trees. By Gavin Cree, 

 Nurseryman and Forest Pruner, Biggar. 



The thinning of plantations is a branch of arboriculture of the 

 highest importance. It may be thought superfluous to enlarge 

 on a subject which has employed the attention of so many 

 eminent rural and political economists; but, be it known that 

 many authors, and these men of eminence too, have published 

 systems not at all beneficial in their practical application. Pro- 

 posals are often made, and results stated, without, we fear, 

 sufficient evidence of their accuracy. Planters, of course, adopt 

 the plans most agreeable to their different tastes ; and thus so 

 many various schemes, with regard to the distance of trees, and 

 the mode of thinning, are in operation, that it is impossible to 

 reduce these plans to any given standard. 



My design, at present, is to explain, by the assistance of 

 a table, a system of thinning trees, which I have found to be 

 highly successful, after many years of experimental observation 

 of it. The first point to be considered is, the distance at which 

 trees may be planted from each other, taking into account the 

 height to which they may be expected to attain. Next, I shall 

 take the thintiing of twenty -.five trees, and detail the different 

 heights at which these thinnings should take place. 



The distance at which trees should be planted from each 

 other cannot, in practice, be reduced to mathematical correct- 

 ness ; yet it is possible to make a very near approximation to 



