h the second year, when it shall be
sufficient to disbranch them to one only shoot, whether you suffer them
to stand, or remove them elsewhere. But to make an essay what seed is
most agreeable to the soil, you may by the thriving of a promiscuous
semination make a judgment of,

What each soil bears, and what it does refuse.{20:1}

transplanting those which you find least agreeing with the place; or
else, by copsing the starvelings in the places where they are newly
sown, cause them sometimes to overtake even their untouch'd
contemporaries.

Something may here be expected about the fittest season for this work of
transplanting; of which having spoken in another{21:1} treatise, annext
to this, (as well as in divers other places throughout this of
Forest-trees) I shall need add little; after I have recommended the
earliest removals, not only of all the sturdy sort in our woods, but
even of some less tender trees in our orchards; pears, apples, vulgar
cherries, &c. whilst we favour the delicate and tender murals, and such
as are pithy; as the wall-nut, and some others. But after all, what says
the plain wood-man, speaking of oaks, beech, elms, haw-thorns, and even
what we call wild and hedge-fruit? Set them, says he, at All-hallowtide,
and command them to prosper; set them at Candlemass, and intreat them to
grow. Nor needs it explanation.

8. But here some may enquire what distances I would generally assign to
transplanted trees? To this somewhat is said in the ensuing periods, and
as occasion offers; though the promiscuous rising of them in
forest-work, wild and natural, is to us, I acknowledge, more pleasing
than all the studied accuracy in ranging of them; unless it be where
they conduct and lead us to avenues, and are planted for _vistas_ (as
the _Italians_ term is) in which case, the proportion of the breadth and
length of the walks, &c. should govern, as well as the nature of the
tree; with this only note; that such trees as are rather apt to spread,
than mount (as the oak, beech, wall-nut, &c.) be dispos'd at wider
intervals, than the other, and such as grow best in consort, as the
elm, ash, limetree, sycamore, firr, pine, &c. Regard is likewise to be
had to the quality of the soil, for this work: v. g. If trees that
affect cold and moist grounds, be planted in hot and dry places, then
set them at closer order; but trees which love dry and thirsty grounds,
at farther distance: The like rule may also guide in