♦592 ON FOREST TREES. 
the land under Larch carries a heautiful and useful herbage, when 
nothing that was profitable grew before they were planted. The 
rapidity of its growth is such, that it has been found by repeated 
trials, to double in diameter that of the Oak in a given time, and 
consequently, the bulk being as the squares of their diameters, to 
produce in the same time four times the quantity of timber j its 
usual annual increase is from one inch and half to two inches in 
circumference, so that a tree of thirty years' standing will measure 
from four to five feet in girth. 
It is a matter of deep regret that so little attention should be paid 
to the growth of the Oak. There Avas a time when our gentry vied 
with each other in the cultivation of this tree — when our woods 
were literally filled with it. Why should not the same laudable 
predilection now prevail amongst our affluent country gentlemen ? 
especially when the superiority of the English Oak to that of every 
other country is universally acknowledged. 
It is also a source of regret, both to the naturalist and the landholder, 
that so few registers have been kept or published respecting the growth 
of trees. In truth, such register will be at all times difficult to pro- 
cure, on account of the length of time necessary to be passed in 
amassing facts, before any useful deduction can be drawn. No man 
loves to enter on a train of reasoning where half a century must be 
spent in collecting premises. A thousand accidental circumstances 
may accelerate or retard the gi'owth of one tree which may not 
occur to any other in the whole plantation ; but if the measurement 
is taken of many, the hurtful and favourable circumstairces so coun- 
terbalance each other as to produce a fair average result on which 
the planter may rely. From such tables, an important general con- 
clusion might be drawn, namely, that the planting of timber trees, 
if the proper species be chosen, is a profitable mode of cropping 
ground, if not very valuable for the plough. It is one which accu- 
mulates yearly in value, without a yearly increase of expense, and 
will amply repay at the time of cutting down, not only the original 
cost, but the interest for that sum, and rent during the time of its 
growth. 
As the scientific pruning of forest trees is but little known, such 
instructions may be easily had, that any intelligent woodman (not 
inclined to have a will of his own) may execute with perfect safety 
and at a trifling expense, by which it is hoped the practice will be 
spread throughout the kingdom, and will never be lost ; although 
the trees will be much improved by annual pruning, both as to 
growth and quality of timber, yet care should be taken not to over- 
