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there is a choice, take away the tree that has been 

 most disfigured in pruning. I must observe, that 

 in all places of this kind, where the soil is rich and 

 good for rearing trees, they should never be planted 

 so thick as they have been here ; because when al- 

 lowed to stand too long in such a thick state, they 

 not only injure each other by getting bad tops, but 

 the roots are also injured, as a mortification of the 

 roots oftentimes takes place, and sometimes kills the 

 whole, or stints them in the growth so as to make 

 the whole unthrifty and delicate looking trees. 

 Another injury done by too thick planting in good 

 soil when not thinned out very early is, the ground 

 gets so loose about the roots lhat they shake with 

 the wind, so as not only to be easily blown down, but 

 the whole trees are deprived of proper nourishment ; 

 such is the case with this plantation, as a person may 

 put his hand to the tree in many places and push it 

 over by the root ; hence many of the spruce firs, 

 although not above the height of twelve feet, have 

 been blown down. The trees here have been put 

 in at a distance of only three and four feet when 

 planted. Observe that in planting all such soils, the 

 plants, say the kinds of trees to be reared up to 

 maturity, should always be planted at regular dis- 

 tances, say ten feet, plant from plant, then it is no 

 expense nor difficulty to thin them out regularly ; 

 but in much exposed places a nurse tree may be put 

 in betwixt each, which should be early taken away ; 

 by attending to this method of planting, it will be 

 very easy to leave it in the power of any one, with- 

 out much expense or stretch of ingenuity, to raise 

 up plantations to maturity as timber-trees, whether 

 for profit or for ornament. I have been the more 



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