F O R E S T - T R E E S. 99 



advife thefe trees to be planted on fucli otherways ufelefs 

 land, in lines, ten feet diftant, and five aflmder in the lina. 

 In five or fix years, take away every fecondtree, which will leave 

 them at twenty feet by ten ; and in feven or eight years more-, 

 repeat the fame, which will make them forty by twenty ; at this 

 diflance they may remain till fit for the axe. 



Tk e Poplar naturally produces many branches from their 

 trunks when young, which ought to be cut away clofe every 

 third or fourth year, to the height of fourteen or fixteen feet, to 

 admit a free circulation of air to the ground, as well as promote 

 the growth of the tree ; and when the foil has thickened, which 

 in a few years it will, fow on it fome white clover and natural 

 grafs feeds, faved from an old upland pafcure. In doing this, the 

 land is not to be plow'd, but tlie furface frequently loofened 

 by a light harrow with fliort wooden teeth, till well pul v^erifed .; 

 then cover the feeds, by drawing fome buihe& lightly over them^ 

 and rolling the ground. This may be done any time from March 

 till Auguft, as the fhade of the trees will prevent the feeds from 

 perifliing by drought ; but the fooner after March the betr- 

 ter, particularly where the land is very wet, as, by early fowing, 

 tlie roots of the grafs will be better eftablilhed, and not fubje{^ 

 to be fpew'd out in winter, which frequent light rollings early in 

 autumn, when the weather is dry, will likeways much contribute 

 to prevent. The fecond fpring after fawing, when the ground 

 will be well covered with grafs, and fit either for pafture or 

 mowing, the trees, may be difbranched to the height of twenty- 

 four feet, when the prunings will be ufeful for fuel, dead fences, 

 and many other purpofes in hufbandry. It is remarkable, and 

 what I have often noticed, that, immediately under the fliade 

 and droppings from this tree, the grafs is foonefi; eat by cattle;^ 



