ON THE PRUNING OF FOREST TREES. 51 



3. The Picea is the next in order, of which the common Silver 

 fir (Picea pectinata) is the type. Forms fine specimens, but 

 generally requires no pruning. Picea nobilis bears shortening of 

 the young branches very well, and often requires to be operated 

 on. This variety is apt to throw out strong branches, and 

 thereby dwarfs the top shoot, and a little thinning and shorten- 

 ing is necessary, to cause a freer growth in the leader. Picea 

 Nordmanniana may be treated in a similar manner to Nobilis, but 

 needs it to a somewhat less extent. Where the branches come 

 thick on each other, and strong, they should be thinned and 

 shortened, to let the top away freely. P. grandis is occasionally 

 of a straggling habit, when a little shortening is demanded, but 

 no thinning. P. cephaloiiica will bear pruning less, and gene- 

 rally requires little to be done to it. P. Pinsapo cannot be ap- 

 proached with the knife without spoiling its beautiful propor- 

 tions. When well grown, this is perhaps the finest formed tree 

 in the whole pine tribe, and ought to be in every collection. The 

 Larch (Larix europcea) is probably the most generally useful of 

 all our timber trees, and at the same time the most roughly 

 handled of any. Being of rapid growth, it is very serviceable 

 as a nurse, and often employed for that purpose ; and the harsh 

 treatment it meets with while so used has often proclaimed to us 

 how unwise it is to touch a living branch. Let a plantation 

 where these trees are grown as nurses be examined, and see 

 where the forester, in relieving some favourite hardwood, has 

 brought his hedgebill down the broadside of a larch, to make 

 room for the more permanent tree. If the bill has unfortunately 

 pierced the bark of the larch, it is more than likely it will retain 

 the mark, exuding resinous matter for years, perhaps till canker 

 set in and death follow. May it not be the case that such treat- 

 ment has been a cause of the present disease ? The Cedar 

 (Cedrus Deodara) stands pruning well in its young branches, and 

 when up a little, requires nothing further to be done to it. 



I beg to conclude with expressing the hope, that the obser- 

 vations above made will be found useful to those less acquainted 

 with the subject practically, and shall be glad if what has been 

 stated may be the means of leading to a better system of man- 

 agement of forests, and especially to the adoption of a uniform 

 method of treatment by pruning. 



