76 GROWING GOLD. 



of it. The planter appears at length obliged 

 to acknowledge his error, for during the last 

 season some tall fast growing young oaks 

 were taken from a rich soil and sheltered 

 situations and put between the firs : this is 

 not quite in accordance w^ith the opinion 

 experience furnishes as to the best way to 

 ensure a crop of oak trees on such a soil. 

 It is admitted to be of a very inferior descrip- 

 tion, but as there are oak trees of considerable 

 size growing near the fence, as well as the 

 one tree within it, proof is afforded that a 

 crop may be grown upon it, if a proper system 

 were to be pursued. It being nearly the most 

 elevated situation in the park, consequently 

 it is the wind which gives the old trees such a 

 shattered and thriftless appearance. 



How the system of mixing so many kinds 

 of trees in plantations became a general 

 practice is not easily explained, as it does 

 not appear ever to have been the case in any 

 of the ancient woods and forests, in which 

 there is reason to believe the trees grew 



