FOR 
timber: a check by an error at first planting 
is a loss of time, and a damage done to trees 
%vhich is sometimes never recovered. To 
give an instance: the mould is often thrown 
on the roots of a forest-tree in lumps, when 
if a little sifted earth was used, so as just to 
cover them with line mould, the trouble 
would be amply repaid by the quick striking, 
and future strength of the tree. 
Ground designed lor planting should be 
prepared as long as it can beforehand, by the 
use of the plough or spade ; and if some sort 
of previous cultivation, either in -corn or ve- 
getables, was adopted, the soil would be 
better fitted to receive the trees. At any 
rate, the places where the trees are to be 
set, should be previously dug somewhat 
deep, and cleared of rubbish, perennial 
weeds, tcouch, &c. If wet, let it be pro- 
perly drained, for none but aquatics can do 
well in a cold and very moist soil. 
In open planting for timber, to make only 
the holes good where the trees are set, is 
sufficient, if the soil is not strong (which ge- 
nerally speaking however it should be) ; and 
• in such plantations the plough being used 
j for corn, or some sort of crop to be carried 
, off, the whole soil will be prepared for the 
- trees’ roots to spread. A plantation of this 
j sort may beconstantly under the plough, till 
the trees shade too much ; and then it may be 
j sown down for grass, which lying warm, and 
j coming early, would be found useful. The 
opportunity given to improve a soil by this 
cultivation, would insure very fine timber. 
But a plantation of trees being made (as 
suppose of oaks) at due distances, and the 
ground ploughed for two or three years, 
. while they got a little ahead, then it might 
I be sown profitably, with nuts, keys, and seeds 
for underwood, observing to thin the plants 
the second year, and again the third, till two 
or three feet asunder in poor ground, and to 
three or four feet distance if rich. In four- 
teen or fifteen years (or much sooner for 
some purposes), the ash-poles, &c. will be 
fine, and meet with a ready sale as useful 
. stuff: afterwards the underwood will be fit 
to cut, in a strong state, every eleven or 
twelve years. In the management of under- 
wood, some have thinned the plants while 
young, to three feet asunder, and cut them 
clown at three years, to about six inches, in 
order to form stools, which in about ten years 
are cut, having produced several stems from 
each. Some persons have cut seedling trees 
down at this age to three inches for timber, 
leaving only one strong shoot to grow from 
each stool; and thus finer trees are frequent- 
ly (or rather certainly) produced, than from 
seedlings not cut down. 
The distances of the timber-plants, may 
be from twenty-five to thirty-five feet, ac- 
cording to the soil, or opinion of the planter. 
If no view to underwood,' the above open 
planting may be made close, by setting first 
the principals (which should be fine plants),, 
and then filling up with others that are worse, 
to within about eight or nine feet of one an- 
other. They will at this distance come to 
fair timber, or may be thinned at pleasure ; 
and even among these, a small crop of under- 
wood might be had which would shelter the 
timber-plants, and help to draw them up 
straight. 
As to little plantations, of thickets, cop- 
pices, clumps, and rows of trees, they are to 
Vol. I. 
F 0 It 
be set close according to their nature, and 
the particular view the planter has, who will 
take care to consider the usual size they at- 
tain, and their mode of growth. An advan- 
tage at home for shade or shelter, and a 
more distant object of sight, will make a dif- 
ference. For some immediate advantage, 
very close planting may take place, but 
good trees cannot be thus expected ; yet if 
thinned in time, a straight tall stem is thus 
procured, which afterwards is of great ad- 
vantage. 
For little clumps or groups of forest- 
trees (as elms), these may be planted three 
or four in a spot, within five or six feet of one 
another, and thus be easily fenced ; having 
the air freely all round, and a good soil, sucli 
clumps produce fine timber. 
Single trees of every sort grow off apace, 
and are more beautiful than when in the 
neighbourhood of others, and particularly 
iirs, pines, larches, limes, walnuts, and ches- 
nuts: the edible fruited chesnut is exceeding- 
ly good for timber ; but the horse is only orna- 
mental, flourishing most on high dry ground. 
As to rows of trees, whether single or double, 
when planted for a screen, they may be set 
about seven or eight feet asunder, upon an 
average, according to their nature, taking 
care to prune them occasionally, from too 
galling an interference. 
Avenues are now seldom planted ; but 
when they are, two good rows of elms, limes, 
( chesnuts, &c. should be set at the width of 
1 the house, at full thirty feet distance in the 
rows: to thicken which, intermediate plants 
may be set ; and also an inner row, to be re- 
moved when the principal trees are full 
grown. Avenues to prospects should be 
fifty or sixty feet wide. 
The best season for planting the deciduous 
kinds of forest -trees, is toward the end of 
October, and for evergreen sorts, the end of 
March; though the soil, whether light and 
dry, or heavy and wet, should somewhat 
direct; evergreen trees being to be planted 
generally with safety, early in autumn, if 
the soil is warm ; but in all cases trees should 
be planted in dry weather, that the mould 
may be loose to drop in, and lie close between 
.the roots, which is a material thing: trees 
planted m rain or mists, are injured by the 
moisture moulding the roots. 
Forest-trees for planting are generally pre- 
ferred rather large, and being so, should not 
be taken up carelessly, but with as much of an 
uninjured spread of roots as possible; yet free- 
growing plants of about three or four feet 
high, promise in the end to make finer trees 
than those that are planted larger. Some say 
tiiey are best at this size from the seed-bed ; 
and others, to have been once planted out, 
having had their tap roots then cut : and ge- 
nerally speaking this is the case, as they have 
a more bushy and horizontal root. 
In the act of planting, let every thing be 
done as for fruit-trees v i-e. the hole dug wide 
and deep, the ground well broken, or rather 
sifted, to lie immediately about the roots, 
& c. Let- the trees be made fast by stakes, 
and litter laid about their rootsffo keep out 
frost and drought. It is of much conse- 
quence to take care that the roots (especially 
of evergreen trees) do not get withered be- 
fore planted. Evergreens do best in a dry, 
but deciduous forest-trees (generally) in a 
moist; soil, if it is not wet. Oaks, in, parti- 
cular, though at first they may appear to do 
poorly, grow well in strung moist ground, 
and make the best timber. 
Fencing is the last tiling to be considered. 
If trees are planted where cattle go, their 
stems must be protected loom barking and 
rubbing. The common way of small posts 
and little rails is well known; but if large 
cattle are not fed where the trees are, good 
thorns stuck round them, and tied to them, 
are sufficient, and indeed this might do in al- 
most all cases. There are various ways, or- 
dinarily known ; but whatever mode is used, 
let it be at first well executed, and afterwards 
repaired in- time, as often as there is need. 
Whoever plants forest-trees, should take 
care to dress them by proper pruning, and 
suffering no suckers to remain about their 
roots. Their tops should be kept equal, and 
not permitted to spread too much in heavy 
branches, but trained in a light and spiral 
way, always preserving the leading shoot, to 
encourage mounting, which is the perfection 
of a forest-tree. 'l ire stems of all trees de- 
signed for timber, should be constantly and 
timely attended to, as it is necessary to rub 
off buds, or to cut off the side shoots, except 
here and there a small one, which may serve 
to detain the sap to the swelling of the trunk; 
but branches being left on of any strength, 
keep the tree from mounting, and draw it 
crooked ; and such branches, if cut off when 
large, occasion knots, and sometimes a decay' 
at the part. 
Plantations growing thick should be thin- 
ned in time, but not too much at once, es- 
pecially in hilly situations; for those trees- 
which remain, come suddenly to be exposed 
(after having been brought up under the 
shelter of others), and suffer much ; getting 
crocked, stunted, and bushy, instead of hav- 
ing their desirable erect form, without which: 
'they are not adapted for superior uses, or 
agreeable to the eye. 
Ornamental trees, as the crab, black 
cherry, mountain ash, &c. may prove profit- 
able, as well as agreeable, here and there one 
amongst forest-trees, and should therefore 
not be omitted: the wood is good. 
FORE-STAFF, or Cross-staff, an im- 
strument used at sea for taking the altitude 
of the sun, moon, or stars. It is called fore- 
staff, because the observer, in using it, turns 
his face towards the object ; whereas in using 
Davis’s quadrant, the back of the observer is 
towards the object; and hence its denomi- 
nation of back-staff. See Instruments 
Astronomical. 
FORESTALLING, is the buying or bar- 
gaining for any corn, cattle, or other mer- 
chandize, by the way, - before it comes to 
any market or fair, to be sold ; or by the way,, 
as it comes from beyond the seas, or other- 
wise, towards any city, port, haven, or creek 
of this realm, to the intent to sell the same 
again at a higher price. 
At the common law, all endeavours 
to enhance the price of any merchandize, 
and all practices which have an appa- 
rent tendency thereto, whether by spreading 
false rumours, or by purchasing things in a 
market before the accustomed hour, or by 
buying and selling again the same thing in the 
same market, or by any other such-like de- 
vices, are highly criminal, and punishable by 
fine and imprisonment. 1 Haw. 234, 
