ERRORS IN PROPAGATING OAK. 



217 



have already received. It causes them, when they 

 happen to arrive at any considerable height, to exhi- 

 bit the appearance of gigantic shrubs, rather than 

 trees, and their v^ood is so worthless, from its small- 

 ness, that the proprietor sells them at little less than 

 their full value, when he receives for them the price 

 of their bark. 



Oaks in this country are seldom planted alone ; 

 they are for the most part intermixed with other 

 trees. In this state they are often spoiled by the 

 plantations being too much crowded, an evil which 

 ought to be remedied by timely thinning. Here I 

 wish it to be understood, that I by no means disap- 

 prove of planting other trees, especially the Scots 

 fir and the larch, along with oaks. On the contrary, 

 even when the latter are intended to be the princi- 

 pal crop, the ground should be well filled with either 

 or both of the former, and that for several years, 

 before the oaks are planted. This, in fact, is the 

 only means, in exposed situations, of providing the 

 requisite shelter. What I here find fault with is, 

 that proper care is not taken to thin out these less 

 valuable kinds, when their branches have become so 

 large as to overhang the oaks, or exclude the sup- 

 plies of air necessary to preserve them in a healthy 

 state. This negligence is the more to be blamed. 



