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



243 



Chapter XL. 



On FORESTS or WOODS, and the mofl fpeedy 

 manner of Rearing them. 



T O plant a wood without inclofing it, is not only amongft the 

 idleft ways of throwing away money, but is laying up a 

 fund of remorfe and difcontent that muft necelTarily often occur, 

 from the devaftations of cattle and ihieep, whofe browfings and 

 bitings communicate a poifon to the trees, which nothing but 

 cutting them below the infe6led parts will expel. Let this then 

 be your firft care to perform in the moft fubftantial manner, with 

 double hedges, in one or other of the ways directed, according 

 to the fituation and quality of your field. 



Though the advantages arifing from timber, over moft of the 

 large eftates in Great Britain where it abounds, are apparently 

 great, yet Vv^e are certainly lefs attentive to the cvilture of woods 

 than any other kind of plantation, and indeed than any im- 

 provement we undertake. But as I believe the increafe of them, 

 particularly in the cold, barren, and lefs cultivated places of the 

 kingdom, would be of the utmoft importance, remove many ob- 

 ftrudlions, and pave the way to general and fuccefsful hufbandry 

 of various kinds, I fliall endeavour to give fome hints, which, 

 if attended to, will, I am certain, much forward the growth of 

 thefe plantations, and procure them in many quarters where ex- 



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