4^ TREATISE on 



Tii E treco now properlj prepared, plant them in lines, five 

 feet afnnder, and two feet and a half in the line ; give them a 

 plentiful watering, to fettle the earth to their roots ; and if you 

 repeat this once a fortnight for three or four times, the feafo» 

 being drj^, it will much promote their growth. In this nurfer)r 

 they may remain, in good' generous land, four, but in poor and 

 hungry, five or fix years : Let the ground be annually dug be- 

 tv»^een the lines, and the trees pruned every fpring, with the 

 fiuiie care and attention as at removing them. I cannot here 

 leave the article of pruning, without begging to be a little fur- 

 ther indulged, in obferving, that no circumftance is attended 

 with worfe confequences to plantations of trees in general, than 

 the negle(3; of timely and regular pruning when young ; and 

 what mvift render it quite inexcufable, is, that even in ample 

 plantations, the expence is very trifling, when annually perform- 

 ed. The cutting of young and tender branches can have no ill 

 effect, either on the life or growth of the tree; but the wounds 

 made by lopping off old wood, always much weakens, and often 

 produces a gangrene that proves mortal, in fome kinds by excef- 

 five bleeding, and in others, by imbibing moiflure, and com- 

 municating it to the body. Thefe are truths founded on na— 

 ' ture, reafon and experience, and which ought to warn all plant- 

 ers to a due performance of this operation, as, from the judici- 

 ous praftice of it, joined to the other articles of culture 

 mentioned, the plants are not only preferved in a healthful 

 free growing ftate, but may be formed to any fliape or propor- 

 tion you pleafe, their, nature will admit of ; but which negle6led 

 a few years, no future difcipline will reduce to fine plants. But 

 if Oaks have been negledled, and grown rude, the beft feafon of 

 cutting their large branches is in March; for the young andi 

 tender, any time from autumn till fpring is equal,. 



