266 corylace^;. 



plant system is satisfied that the cutting off the lower 

 portion of the tap root at an early age, neither greatly 

 retards the growth- nor interferes in the slightest degree 

 with the after developement of the plant, added to which 

 he maintains this important consideration, that an Oak 

 wood may be raised by the plant system at much less 

 cost, and with greater certainty of success than by the 

 former method. 



After having made trial of both modes of propagation, 

 and watched the progress of the Oak under each system 

 for the last thirty years, we have no hesitation in giving 

 a decided preference to plants over acorns, being convinced 

 in planting upon an extensive scale, and where rapid 

 growth and profit are the principal objects in view, that 

 Oak woods may be raised by the plant system at less 

 cost, and with a greater certainty of producing eventually, 

 timber of as large a scantling and as excellent in quality, 

 as by sowing the acorns where the trees are to stand. 



The supposition that cutting off any portion of 

 the tap root of the young Oak must be prejudicial to 

 its growth, or that the tree continues to draw its chief 

 support and nourishment during the many centuries it 

 exists, through its medium, are both of them equally 

 erroneous. It is a well-known fact that in seedling Oaks 

 and other tap-rooted trees, the loss of the lower portion 

 that may be cut off is soon supplied by the reproduction 

 of one or more downward leading roots, as well as that 

 the emission of the lateral roots which, after a limited 

 time, or as soon as they have taken firm hold of the 

 ground, undertake the duty of support, is thereby en- 

 couraged ; and as Mr. Loudon observes, " it is also well- 

 known that the tap root is only found in the Oak and 



