198 THINNING. 



the branches or useless weeds), which latter, if cleared 

 out, would have cost a sum at least equal to that of 

 thinning. The money received for net-stakes was £8, 

 10s., which, after deducting Is. 8d. per 100 for mak- 

 ing, left to the proprietor 14s. VJd. per acre as clear 

 return from the ten acres thinned ; 8s. 4d. per 100 

 received for the stakes. 



It may here be stated that during the performance 

 of the work of thinning the workmen had a distance 

 of from four to five miles to walk night and morning, 

 which made a difference in the amount of labour of 

 fully one-fifth over that of doing the work near their 

 homes. 



The causes of failure are numerous ; but the chief 

 one is that of mixing trees together that should always 

 be grown separately, they being uncongenial and an- 

 tagonistic in their natural habits of growth. The soil 

 being naturally damp, a free current of air and the 

 direct rays of the sun are essential to evaporate the 

 noxious vapours and impart life to the languishing 

 trees. Unfortunately the very reverse of this was the 

 case, the crowded condition of the trees precluding 

 both sun and air. 



Thinning in this case should have been performed 

 at five years on the west side of the plantation, and at 

 six years on the opposite side. Part of the latter is 

 composed of a large proportion of Scots pines, standing 

 upon the ground to the number of about 1500 trees 

 per acre. Some of the trees, indeed, though four- 

 teen years planted, were standing not more than 4 feet 

 apart, 12 to 16 feet in height, with stems not over 8 

 to 10 inches girth at the ground, thus exhibiting an 

 unfavourable example in thinning, to be carefully and 

 timeously avoided. Trees of the above age so situated 



