1884.] LEAF CANOPY AND PRUNING. 161 



LEAF CANOPY AND PRUNING. 

 II. 



^HE ninth point of those enumerated, in which leaf-canopy with 

 complete shade offered valuable advantages, was, that there 

 is under shade less necessity for artificial pruning, and that 

 the shafts of the trees grow straight. Many coverts may be seen 

 ^vhich, having always been kept in close order, under the most 

 favourable conditions of leaf-canopy and shade, show perfectly 

 straight, sound, and branchless boles to a height of between fifty and 

 seventy feet and even more. Such triumphs of forestry in taking 

 advantage of and directing the processes of nature, without the inter- 

 ference of artificial pruning, are in this country less frequently to be 

 met with. In the treatment of hardwoods, such results have 

 generally been attained by the use of fostering nurses of Beech or 

 Hornbeam. Both among broad-leaved and needled woods, if close 

 order be produced and a complete cover overshading the ground and 

 the lower parts of the young trees, the lower branches will early 

 commence to drop off of themselves. These lower branches die, because 

 they do not receive enough light to keep their foliage green ; and this 

 extinction of all the branches below the leafy tops or crowns of the 

 trees continues as they grow higher and higher. Under very favour- 

 able circumstances, where complete canopy has always been main- 

 tained, the branches withering below the spread of the crowns will 

 never have attained any great thickness, and, soon after they have 

 dropped, the traces of their existence will be completely effaced from 

 the trunks ; thus the higher the bushy tops composing the canopy 

 come to be from the ground, the greater length will be below them of 

 clean boles ; and this without any expense or labour of pruning. It 

 is very doubtful whether any amoimt of artificial pruning, in open 

 coverts, can ensure straightness of shaft, and correct the frequent 

 appearance of accidental forking or crookedness. Among trees in 

 close order, on the other hand, nearly all individuals shoot up 

 naturally with straight single stems. 



Having now seen that there are at least nine good reasons why the 

 trees in a wood shoiQd be kept close together, it follows that open 

 coverts, such as have to rely on artificial pruning for a desirable for- 

 mation of tree, must have many disadvantages, and must be in many 

 ways dangerous. There seems to be no valid reason why in every 

 forest some coverts at least should not be maintained in close order, 

 and all reasonably close, if only to guard against the possibility of 

 there being more trees standing in need of pruning than can possibly 



