and the Manatfcment. of Plantations at Welheck. 3G9 
seem to require it, they should be thinned in the manner usually prac- 
tised here, in order to pnjve to those who may be alive in 1864, the be- 
nefit which may be derived to phintations from more or less thinning. 
Tliis inclosure contains (1848) 96 trees. 
No. 4. 1827. — The oaks within these rails were sown in 1814. They 
have not been thinned hitherto. But it is intended tliat, as soon as they 
appear to require thinning, up to the year 1864, they shall be thinned 
twice as mucii as is usually the practice at Welbeck. 
This inclosure contains (1848) 47 trees. 
Method of preparing the Land for Sowing or Planting. 
The land is ploughed, cleaned, and fallowed, and dressed with 
bones at the rate of 40 bushels per acre. White turnips are then 
sown, which are eaten off with sheep. 
Early in the year the land is again ploughed, and thrown into 
beds 4 feet wide; about 1 foot of the soil from an interval of 
4 feet is thrown up on the other, which costs about 14fZ. per '2H 
vards for the 4-feet bed. 
Sowing. — The acorns are sown as soon as the ground is ready, 
say January, about three quarters j)er acre, sown by hand in a 
grip made with a spade, nearly as thick as peas j three rows on a 
4-feet bed. Traps are set for mice, and Is. per score paid to 
boys who catch ihem, and at the same time keep oft" the birds. 
Planting. — Two-year old plants of oak are used, three rows set 
in a 4-feet bed, the plants about 10 inches apart; they require 
hand-hoeing and weeding twice a-year for the first 3 or 4 years. 
Hares and rabbits must be kept out by proper fences. Tliey 
do more hurt to young chestnuts than to oaks. 
The same year, or the following January, larch are planted in 
the intervals between the beds, one row down each allev, 2 yards 
apart. 
The plantations are then left alone for about 12 years, the 
plants striving among each other for the mastery. If the wood- 
man in looking round them should observe any of the oaks grow- 
ing with very bushy heads, or very crooked, he would cut out 
such plants. 
Thinning. — At the end of from 12 to 15 years, according to 
the goodness of the ground, thinning commences. The weakest 
plants, and those with dead heads, are cut out for hedge-bindings, 
averaging about 10 or 12 feet long. In the meantime a great 
many small trees will have been killed. A pretty good acre 
would yield 30 bunches of bindings (30 bindings in a bunch), 
value 6<f. a bunch, costing 2c?. cutting. After this the plantation 
would be looked over every year, and the weakest trees and any 
which are dying would be taken out. Fur about three years 
more they make only bindings; after that the trees are slron<x 
