i,6 HISTORY OF THE [book v, 
sow the seeds, or set out the young plants, eight 
feet distant from each other on all sides, which 
gives six hundred and eighty trees to each acre; 
and, where young plants are easily procured, they 
are preferred to berries. The plants which are in¬ 
tended to be set out are generally selected of about 
two feet in height. They are cut off ten inches 
above the surface of the ground, and care is taken 
to dig them up with the roots as entire as possible. 
The holes in which they are set, are made large 
enough to hold the lower part of the stem and all 
the roots, and the upper fibres are buried about 
two inches under the surface. But, although eight 
feet be the usual distance of setting out the plants in 
all soils, it is frequently found, in rich lands, that 
the trees, as they grow to maturity, become from 
their luxuriance, so closely intermingled together, 
as to impede the free passage of the air: In such 
cases it is thought adviseable to cut down every 
second row, within ten or twelve inches of the 
ground, and by well moulding the stumps, they 
will furnish a succession of healthy young trees, 
while the rows which are left will bear much bet¬ 
ter for the room which is given them. Old plan¬ 
tations (or walks as they are called) cut down in 
this manner, not dug up and replanted, will give 
a tolerable crop the second year ; and the operation 
may be frequently repeated. 
In the cultivation of a young walk, the general 
and most approved system is to keep the trees per¬ 
fectly clear of suckers, and to rear one stem only 
