197 



although they never will come to be so profitable as 

 oaks ; this part of the plantation should be immedi- 

 ately thinned out to not more than from eight to ten 

 feet, tree from tree, that is, not less than eight nor 

 more than ten, and when this is done, a plant of oak 

 should be put in betwixt each of the larch firs ; in 

 about six or eight years after, another thinning 

 should be given, when it must be directed chiefly by 

 the healthy and unhealthiness of the trees, leaving, 

 as aforesaid, a few of the healthy larch to be 

 reared up to maturity in the sheltered places, taking 

 out at this time every third larch betwixt each two, 

 and put in an oak. The most of the natural oak 

 stools on this farm requires a thinning, and if judi- 

 ciously done, they will be much benefited by it be- 

 fore cutting time, both as to the quantity of wood 

 and bark ; they should also be relieved of trash of 

 birch, alder, hazel, and larch firs, the same as direct- 

 ed in the other two farms. There are also a number 

 of ash stools on this farm, as well as on some parts of 

 the others, all which should get a considerable thin- 

 ning, leaving only three, or not exceeding four shoots 

 on one stool, so as their wood may come to be of 

 some value as timber by cutting time, and which 

 will greatly improve the growth of it, if properly 

 managed, relieving them of all trash. The thinning 

 of the trees at and above the bridge ; — on this farm 

 the cutting of the large firs and other trees in the old 

 clump or Barnellian farm, and clearing the oak and ash 

 stools of all rubbish and trash, as aforesaid j all this 

 should be done before spring, that is to say, before 

 the sap begins to rise, say before the first of April, 

 when the thinning and barking of the larch firs 

 should begin. 



