AMONG THE OAKS 117 
special preparation of seed-beds; but the early 
development is always best, with the oak as 
with all other kinds of trees, when the soil 
has been loosened, and thus aerated and rendered 
more easily penetrable by the tiny rootlets of 
young plants. 
As soon as the seedling crop appears the 
seed-bearers have soon to be removed, because 
the young oak is impatient of even the com- 
paratively light and broken shade cast on it 
by the parent trees. This is especially the case 
on rather poor and dry soils, where the young 
seedlings cannot thrive if deprived of the dewfall 
at night. On a good, fresh soil, however, there 
is less risk of damage being done by the over- 
shadowing of the mature crop, so that its re- 
moval can in this case be extended over a 
somewhat longer time than would otherwise be 
advisable. 
As the parent trees are removed, the blanks 
thus formed may be filled either by sowing 
acorns or by planting ; while other blank spaces, 
perhaps caused by their being poorer patches of 
soil, or arising from any other physical reason, 
can also be sown or planted with beech, ash, syca- 
