The Oak. 



taking good firm root, than any other deciduous tree, the 

 Hickory excepted. At tlie end of two years, the trees will 

 be but scrubby looking things, but they will be fast in the 

 ground, of which their roots will have got good hold, and 

 their stems will have increased in stoutness. Now, there- 

 fore, the ground having been kept perfectly clear of weeds, 

 they ought to be cut down, with a sharp knife, nearly close 

 to the ground. 



432. This will cause new shoots to come up from them, 

 which will go up straight; and you must be careful to take 

 off, from each stem, all the shoots but one, leaving that one, 

 which of course will be the strongest, to go up and become 

 the trunk of the tree. The next year, this shoot will send 

 out side-shoots, which must not be taken off until they have 

 had a year's growth. Then the lower ones should be taken 

 off, by means of a sharp knife and a close cut 5 and thus, 

 every year, as the top of the tree rises higher and higher, 

 the lowest of the side-shoots should be taken off, until you 

 get your stem or trunk clear and straight to the length that 

 you desire to have it. It is not always desirable to have a 

 long trunk, and a small head in proportion, of course. The 

 bark forms a great part of the value of the Oak ; and it fre- 

 quently happens, that an ugly-looking tree, with a great 

 number of limbs, is more valuable than a handsome, and 

 even a larger tree with few limbs. Besides, a straight 

 trunk furnishes none of those hiees, which are so valuable 

 in the making of ships, and frequently in the making of 

 houses. In hedge-rows, therefore, where there is plenty of 

 room, there seems to be no good reason for endeavouring 

 to obtain a trunk of great length; and, of course, the 

 pruning there ought to be accordingly ; but if trees be to 

 stand in a wood, they ought to be pruned so as to give room 

 for their growing to a considerable height. 



