THERE is another general rule, with regard to pruning trees. The bough fhould be taken off, either by the upward stroke of a fharp instrument (and, generally fpeaking, at one blow), or with a faw in the latter cafe, it fhould previously be notched, on the under fide, to prevent its splitting off, in the fall. If the bough to be taken off be heavy, the safest way is, first to cut it off, a few inches from the ftem, with an axe, and then to clear away the ftump, close and level, with a faw; doing away the roughneffes, left by the teeth of the faw, with a plane, or with a broad-mouthed chiffel, or an axe; in order to prevent the wet from hanging in the wound. A faw, for this purpose, should be fet very wide; otherwise, it will not make its way through green wood.

THE fittest opportunity for pruning and fetting up young timbers, as well as for taking down Pollards and dotard timbers, and clearing away other encumbrances, is when the Hedge itself is felled; and it were well for landed individuals (as for the Nation at large) if no Hedge was fuffered to be cut down, without the whole bufinefs of the Hedgerow being, at the fame time, properly executed.

FOR

FOR farther Information refpecting HEDGES and HEDGEROW TIMBER, fee the RURAL EcoNOMY OF YORKSHIRE, Vol. I. p. 201.

ALSO the RURAL ECONOMY of the MIDLAND COUNTIES, Vol. I. pages 83 to 95, and the Mr NUTES thence referred to.

DIVISION

DIVISION THE FOURTH,

WOODLANDS; OR, USEFUL

PLANTATIONS.

1

A

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS,

A

LTHOUGH it may be difficult to distinguish, precifely, between ufeful and ornamental plantations, yet the diftinction between a rough coppice, in a reclufe corner of an estate, and a flowering fhrubery, under the windows of a manfion, is obvious: the one we view as an object of pleasure and amusement, while the other is looked upon in the light of profit, only. Upon thefe premises we ground our diftinction. Under the present head, we purpose to speak of plantations, whofe leading features are of the more useful kind, and whofe principal end is profit; referving thofe, whofe diftinguishing characteristics are orna

mental,

mental, and whose primary object is pleasure, for the SECOND PART of this VOLume.

PERHAPS, it will be expected, that, before we begin to treat of the propagation of TIMBER, WC should previously prove an approaching SCARCITY of that neceffary article in this country: for it may be argued, that every acre of land applied to the purposes of planting, is loft to those of agriculture; and, as far as culturable land goes, the argument is juft. To fpeak of this fubject, generally, as to the whole kingdom, and at the fame time precisely, is perhaps what no man is prepared for.

FROM an extenfive knowledge of the different parts of the kingdom, we believe that the Nation has not, yet, experienced any real want of timber. We are happy to find, that, in many parts of it, there are great quantities now standing; while, in many other parts, we are forry to fee an almoft total nakedness. With refpect to large well grown OAK TIMBER, fuch as is fit for the purposes of SHIP BUILDING, We believe there is a growing scarcity, throughout the kingdom,

E

We will explain ourselves, by fpeaking particularly as to one district-the VALE OF PICKERING, in Yorkshire. This district, for ages past, has fupplied,

fupplied, in a great measure, the ports of Whitby and Scarborough with fhip timber. At present, notwithstanding the extenfive tracts of Woodlands still remaining, there is scarcely a tree left standing with a load of timber in it. Befides, the woods which now exist, have principally been raised from the ftools of timber trees, formerly taken down; the faplings from which being numerous, they have drawn each other up flender, in the grove manner; and, confequently, never will be fuitable to the more valuable purposes of the fhip builder.

WHEN we confider the prodigious quantity of timber which is confumed in the conftruction of a large veffel, we feel a concern for the probable fituation of this country, at fome future period. A SEVENTY-FOUR GUN SHIP (we speak from good authority) fwallows up three thousand loads of Oak timber. A load of timber is fifty cubical feet; a ton, forty feet; confequently, a feventyfour gun fhip takes 2,000 large well grown timber trees; namely, trees of nearly two tons each!

THE diftance recommended, by authors, for planting trees, in a Wood, (a subject we shall speak to particularly in the course of this chapter) in which Underwood is alfo propagated, is thirty feet or upwards. Suppofing trees to stand at two rods (33 feet, the distance we recommend they

fhould