TREE CULTURE IN SOUTH AUSTRAIIA. 65 



to come on, more relief may be necessary to tliem than is required by 

 tbe others. This would, of course, necessitate the former being left at 

 greater distances from their neighbors in the plantation than the latter; 

 consequently this would break up the general uniformity, supposing 

 the trees were at first planted al^regular distances apart. 



One of the best rules to go by in thinning plantations is, to gradually 

 take out the more inferior and least healthy plants, and to leave only the 

 healthiest, strongest, and largest specimens to come on as the permanent 

 crop — removing such inferior ones from time to time only as may be 

 reqidred to prevent over-crowding and to keep the plantation in a 

 healthy condition generally. 



Thinning should be done gradually, and as far as possible periodieally — 

 ■say, every three or four years, until the trees stand at from 16ft. to 20ft. 

 apart, when those remaining will have attained that shape and growth 

 which will permit them reiiiaining until their period of maturity. 



The operatioii of thinning should, in this country, be done in the 

 winter time with deciduous trees, and in the autumn for such trees 

 AS the eucalypti, pines, and evergreens generally. 



