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quicker growth than either of the former sorts: it sheds its leaves in autumn, about the same time 
with the Elm; and during the time of its verdure, this tree makes a good appearance, being well 
clothed with leaves, which are of a deep, strong, green colour, resembling more the long-leaved Elm 
than the Horn-beam. 
CULTURE. 
Species 1. As the common Horn-beam will thrive upon cold, barren, exposed hills, and in such 
situations where few other sorts will grow, it may be cultivated to great advantage by the proprietors 
of such lands. It will resist the violence of winds better than most other trees, and is by no means 
slow in its growth. But where these are propagated for timber, they should be raised from seeds, 
upon the same soil, and in the same situation, where they are designed to grow; and not brought 
from a better land, and a warmer situation, as is too frequently practised. Nor should they be 
propagated by layers, which is the common method where they are intended for hedges or under¬ 
wood; for which those so produced will answer the purpose full as well as those raised from seeds, 
but the latter must always be preferred for timber trees. 
The seeds of this tree should be sown in the autumn soon after they are ripe; for if they are 
kept out of the ground till spring, the plants will not come up till the following year. When the 
plants appear, they must be kept very clean from weeds, and treated as other forest trees; in two 
years time they will be fit to transplant, for the sooner all trees which are designed for timber are 
planted where they are to remain, the larger they will grow, and the wood will be firmer and 
more durable. 
Others prefer keeping the seeds in sand till the spring, and then sowing them in rows two feet 
and a half asunder, and a foot distance in the rows, or else broadcast and thin on beds of fresh 
earth, three feet and a half or four feet in breadth, with alleys between of eighteen inches or two 
feet; covering the seeds three quarters of an inch deep; and in February following loosening the 
surface so as not to disturb the seeds, and sprinkling on some fresh mould. In these beds they 
may remain three years; and by that time they will be fit either for hedges or woods. For the 
former purpose, they may be removed into ten-feet rows, and five feet from each other in the rows, 
training them annually, and keeping them light and thin at top. After four years they wall be 
seven or eight feet high, and may be planted out to complete hedges where they are designed to 
remain. The straightest plants may be reserved for trees, and planted from the first nursery, in 
rows five feet asunder, and two feet distance in the rows. Some prefer the spring for transplanting; 
and others recommend it to be performed early in October.* 
The timber of this tree is very tough and flexible, and might be converted to many useful pur¬ 
poses, if it were suffered to grow to a proper size. But this not having been the case, the principal 
uses it is applied to is for turnery ware, for which it is an excellent wood, for mill-cogs, heads of 
beetles, stocks and handles of tools, and yokes. It is also an excellent fuel. Linnaeus observes that 
the wood is very white and tough, harder than Hawthorn, and capable of supporting great weights ; 
and that the inner bark is much used in dying wool yellow. 
The leaves remain upon the trees till the young buds in the spring thrust them off, so that 
they afford much shelter to birds in winter: this also renders them proper to plant round the 
borders of other plantations in exposed situations to defend and promote the growth of more 
tender trees. 
* Boutcher and Hunter’s Evelyn. 
