114 OF FOREST TREES* SECT. X # 



plantation and care of timber is like buying the rever- 

 fion of an eiiate — for a little money expended, we be- 

 come heirs to great fums. — In countries fcarce of 

 firing, and where poles and rails are wanted, under- 

 wood will pay the proprietor triple more value than the 

 bell fields of corn, and the oaks among it remain a 

 great eftate to fucceeding generations." Poor land, 

 that does not anfwer for earn,, would be profitably 

 cultivated in wood? but fuch ground mould be /own, 

 rather than planted. Wet places may be advantageoufly 

 planted with the amphibious tribe, as willow, fallozv, 

 withy, ofier, &c. 



For thofe who may be difpofed to plant forcjl trees* 

 the following directions are offered: — The manual 

 work proper to this bufmefs, may be gathered from 

 what has been already faid on planting fruit trees and 

 'Jhrubs ; and though plantations of for eft trees need not 

 be fo nicely attended to as fruit trees, yet the better the 

 work is performed, the fairer is the profpefl in growing 

 good timber: a check by an error at firft planting is a 

 lofs of time, and a damage done to trees which is 

 fometimes never recovered. To give an inftance : — the 

 mould is often thrown on the roots of a foreft tree in 

 lumps, when if a little ftfted earth were ufed, fo as juft 

 to cover them with fine mould, the trouble would be 

 amply repaid by the quick ftriking, and future ftrength 

 of the tree. 



Ground deftgned for planting mould be prepared as 

 long as it can beforehand,, by the ufe of the plough or 

 fpade; and if fome fort of previous cultivation, either 

 in corn or vegetables, were adopted, the foil- would be 

 better fitted to receive the trees. At any rate, the 

 places where the trees are to be fet, fhould be pre- 

 viously dug fomewhat deep, and cleared of rubbifli, 

 perennial weeds, twitch, &c* If wet, let it be properly 

 drained, for none but aquatics can do well in a cold 

 and very moift foil. 



. In 



