JUNE 
217 
sent ; the felled ones are cut in lengths,, and piled with the 
limbs on the brush heaps. All these have been cut quite 
close to the ground^ so that the stumps may offer no obstruc- 
tion to the harrow : all being piled^ nothing remains but to 
fell the large trees^ which is done at about two feet from the 
ground, the stumps being permitted to remain till the gra- 
dual decomposition of the roots allows of their extraction : 
a work of years. The trunks of the trees are now chopped 
into lengths^ those which are useful for fencing placed by 
themselves to be removed^ and the remainder, by the efforts 
of oxen with chains^ and men with levers, are piled one 
upon another^ and the tops thrown into heaps as before. 
In this state everything remains during the summer, exposed 
to the burning sun of July^ August^ and September^ which 
dries up a good deal of the moisture, and makes the heaps 
fit to burn. In the fall, advantage is taken of a dry time 
to put fire to the logs and brush, which burn rapidly, 
and are usually consumed, with the exception of some rem- 
nants of the log heaps, which are piled together for a final 
burning. The running of the fires over the ground kills 
every vegetable, and the fertilizing ashes make the whole 
in good order for culture. The plough is not put into the 
ground for some years, until the small stumps and roots 
have decayed : it is merely harrowed over, the virgin earth 
being soft and mellow, and grain is sowed with grass seed. 
After the first crop, it remains in grass for several years. 
Such is the ordinary practice, slightly varying, according to 
circumstances. 
C. — Are no young trees ever left for ornament ? 
F. — Were it possible to do so, they would be anything 
but ornamental ; for a young forest -tree is nothing more 
than a very tall hop-pole with a few leaves at the top : but 
the fires would be sure to kill them, if such were spared by 
the axe and hook. Ornamental trees must, in general, be 
L 
