THINNING MIXED PLANTATIONS. 199 



should not, if properly tliinned, be standing closer than 

 7 to 8 feet apart. The cost in thinning at six years 

 planted is about 5 s. per acre, whereas now it will 

 cost twelve times that sum. 



In thinning at five or six years planted, the thin- 

 nings are, of course, of little or no value, consequently 

 the labour bestowed is a dead loss of 5 s. per acre. In 

 thinning at eight or ten years planted, the thinnings, 

 as in this instance, are worth 14s. 7^d. per acre, but 

 then the cost of labour was 40 s. per acre ; thus show- 

 ing that, in point of economy, the former period is to 

 be preferred, while the advantages resulting to the 

 future crop cannot be over-estimated. 



The results arising from deficiency of branches on 

 Scots pine is seen at a comparatively early stage of 

 their growth, while the full amount of injury which 

 hardwoods sustain from a similar cause are not fully 

 shown till the trees are from forty to fifty years 

 planted, at which time it is often unhappily discovered 

 that the trees, instead of being worth shillings or 

 pounds, are found to be worth only pence or shillings. 



