SECTION THE SECOND.

GROVE S.

THE TIMBER GROVE is the prevailing plantation of modern time. WOODS or COPPICES are feldom attempted; indeed, until of late years, clumps of Scotch Firs feem to have engaged, in a great measure, the attention of the planter.

THE SCOTCH FIR, however, is one of the last trees that ought to engage the attention of the British planter; and should be invariably excluded from every foil and fituation, in which any other timber tree can be made to flourish. The North afpect of bleak and barren heights is the only fitu ation in which it ought to be tolerated, and even there, the Larch is found to outbrave it. In better foils, and milder fituation, the wood of the Scotch Fir is worth little, and its growth fo licentious, as to over-run every thing which grows in its immediate neighbourhood: this renders it wholly unfit to be affociated with other timber trees: we, thereVOL. I.

L

fore,

fore, now difcard it entirely from USEFUL PLANTATIONS *.

THE SPECIES OF TIMBER TREES, which we beg leave to recommend to the planter's notice, have been already mentioned, at the opening of this Chapter: They confift of

THE OAK,

THE ASH,

THE ELM,

THE BEECH,

THE LARCH, and

THE AQUATICS.

Or the tribe laft mentioned, we chiefly recommend

THE POPLAR,

THE WILLOW,

THE ALDER,

THE OZIER.

To this lift may be added,

THE CHESNUT,

THE WALNUT,

THE CHERRY,

as

• Nevertheless, to give variety in ornamental scenery, and as a nurfe plant (if kept under due reftraint), the Scotch Fir may be retained.

as fubftitutes for the Oak and the Beech; and the two latter, as humble representatives of the princely Mahogany.

RESPECTING the Elm, an error prevails: MILLER and HANBURY tell us (fpeaking more particularly of the fine-leaved fort), that it will not flourish in clofe plantations. Experience, however, leads us to be of a contrary opinion. How often do we fee two Elms, standing fo close together, that a bird could not fly through between them, yet both of them equally well ftemmed: indeed, the fhoots of the Elm will interweave with each other, in a manner we seldom fee in any other species of tree. In groups and clofe groves, too, we have feen them thrive abundantly. It is obfervable, however, that in these fituations, their ftems running up clean, and in a great measure free from fide fhoots, the timber takes a different nature, from that which is raised in more expofed places;where the lateral fhoots being numerous, and being lopped off, from time to time, the stems become knotty; by which means the natural tenacity, in which the peculiar excellency of the timber of the Elm confifts, is confiderably increased.

In a Grove, the Afb may be termed an outside tree; plow beams, fhafts, fellies, and harrow bulls, requiring a curvature, which generally takes place

in the outer rows of a clofe plantation. The Afh, however, must not be excluded a central fituation, as a straightness of grain is frequently defirable.

THE Oak and the Larch (except for the purpofe of SHIP TIMBER, &c.) the Beech and the Chefnut, are infide trees; the carpenter, the cooper, and the turner, requiring a cleanness of grain.

WITH refpect to SOIL AND SITUATION, the Elm, the Chefnut, the Walnut, and the Cherry, require a good foil and mild fituation; the Aquatics fhould be confined to moift low grounds; and the Beech and the Larch to bleak or barren places; whilst the Oak and the Afh can accommodate themselves to almost any foil or fituation; though they feldom rife to profit, on bleak and barren fites.

WE now come to the METHOD OF RAISING the several species of Grove timbers. The Oak, the Afh, the coarse-leaved Elm, the Beech, the Chefnut, the Walnut, and the Cherry, may be raised in drills, in the manner defcribed in the preceding fection, without any variation, except in the method of training. The Pines being of a hazardous nature, when in their infant ftate, it is advifeable to raise them in feed beds, and plant them out as feedling plants. The fine-leaved Ehm must

be

be raised from layers; and the Aquatics from cuttings *.

THE METHOD OF TRAINING Grove timbers, raised in drills, is this: If feedling plants be wanted, the rows may be thinned, the third and fourth years, until the remaining plants ftand from twelve to eighteen inches apart. This done, nothing more will be requifite, until fuch time as fome kind of ware can be cut out; as edders, hoops, stakes, &c,

THE plants having reached this ftage of their growth, the rows fhould be gone over, every winter, and all the underling plants be cut out, within the ground (if practicable), which will, in general, kill the roots and fave the expence of grubbing. If the remaining plants are not already too much crouded, those which yet ftruggle for the light ought to be left, to affift in drawing up, with greater certainty, those which have gained the afcendancy,

THIS conduct fhould be obferved, from the time of the first cutting, until the trees are set out, at distances beft fuited to their refpective natures, and according to the accidental tendency, which

For the method of planting a Timber Grove, fee the Divifion MANUAL LABOUR, page 33.