198 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF OAK. 



poverished, they being the natural receptacles of 

 whatever is washed from the latter. Can it be, 

 that the oak, unlike any other plant, is incapable of 

 being produced on the same land twice ; and, there- 

 fore, that our soil having once borne a luxuriant crop 

 of it cannot repeat the effort ? An opinion similar 

 to what is involved in this query, I have heard con- 

 fidently expressed, but how groundless it is, may be 

 known from the fact, that land in oak-coppice pro- 

 duces a succession crop every twenty, or twenty-five 

 years, without ever betraying any symptoms of ex- 

 haustion. 



But, to draw these remarks to a conclusion ; 

 enough, I trust, has been said, to show the weakness 

 of the theory which it was the object of this ssction 

 to disprove. To have said so much, may appear to 

 some a needless labour. Those, however, who are 

 aware how widely the prejudice which has given rise 

 to these observations is disseminated, will agree 

 mth me in thinking, that, at least, some attempt to 

 remove it was proper, especially as it has abeady 

 begun to be acted upon as a fully established prm- 

 ciple. The above reasoning is confirmed, if, indeed, 

 it requires any confirmation, by the results of ex- 

 periments made by myself, and which shall be laid 

 before the reader in a future part of the volume. 



