The Chesnut. 



follow, ill all respects, tlie directions given in the case of 

 the Ash. If Chesnuts be intended for timber, they ought 

 to be planted in rows of four feet apart, and at four^feet 

 apart in the row, the plants in one row standing opposite 

 the middle of the intervals in the other row, which indeed 

 ought to be the case in the planting of all other trees. As 

 to managhig the ground of the plantation, follow the rules 

 laid down in the case of the Ash ; and as to cutting down 

 the plants the year after they are planted, and also as to 

 pruning, see paragraphs 127 and 149. 



197. When UNDERWOOD is the object in a planta- 

 tion of Chesnuts, the rows ought to be five feet apart at 

 the least, and the plants five feet apart in the row. The 

 Chesnut stem spreads wider and requires more room than 

 that of the Birch, the Hazel, or even of the Ash. As 

 underwood, the Chesnut is useful, chiefly sls poles, of which 

 it produces very good ones, lasting as long or longer, as 

 hop-poles, than the Ash; but it does not grow so fast as 

 the Ash, and, unless great care be taken, has some disad- 

 vantages unknown to the Ash. It sends out stout side- 

 shoots, coming opposite each other ; and this makes a great 

 swell in the middle of the pole, and causes the upper part 

 of the pole to diminish in size too rapidly. Then, to get a 

 Chesnut pole any where between twelve and twenty feet in 

 length, there will always be a dispropartionate butt ; the butt 

 will be too large in proportion to the top of the pole. This, 

 in hop-poles, for which purpose Chesnuts are generally em- 

 ployed, is a disadvantage that none but skilful hop-planters 

 can know of. The bine of the hop (and it is the same with 

 all other climbing plants) do not like to have a big thing to 

 go round at starting. The reason of this I do not very well 

 know ; but of the fact I am quite sure. I suppose the 

 reason to be that, in going round so large a thing, the 



