REPORT ON THE MANAGEMENT AND VALUE OF TOPLAR. 



131 



be formed, and watch it when young to direct its upright single- 

 growth. 



5th, Where the branches are more numerous upon one side 

 than upon the other, so that the tree is inchiced to grow to one 

 side, assuming a bent form, whence is obtained twisted and 

 warped manufactured wood, in such case reduce the branches 

 upon that side to which the tree inclines, that the evil be coun- 

 teracted. 



6th, Another case where pruning is of great service is that in 

 which branches grow out from the stem at such acute angles as 

 to fester the bark between the two surfaces of the branch and 

 trunk. Other evils attending such branches are their liability 

 to split off with wind, snow, &c. The pruning chisel is used for 

 large trees. 



7th, Another necessity for pruning arises from dead or decayed 

 branches, which, unless quickly removed, produce injurious results 

 by festering into the trunk, as already noticed, and causing black 

 knots in the wood, which detracts from its value. The blemish 

 in the wood occasioned by the removal of a dead branch is no 

 doubt serious, but much less so than allowing it to remain. 

 Pruning is nothing more than art assisting nature in ridding 

 herself of an encumbrance. 



Pruning of dead branches should take place about April, that 

 of live branches in June or July. 



The writer having thinned plantations in almost every stage of 

 growth of which poplar formed more or less a part, he will in- 

 stance a few cases as to the relative size and value which the 

 latter bears to the other trees grown along with it. 



No. 1 was a plantation in the south of Eoxburghshire situated 

 at an altitude of about 250 feet. The soil was soft, deep black 

 moss, thrown open with numerous drains. These in time of rain 

 were filled with dark sluggish water, fed by unnumbered rills de- 

 scending on all sides from the extreme heights of the Scottish 



