On Some of the Summer Operations Bene- 

 ficial to Plantations and Woodlands. 



Ey ROBERT HUTCITISOX, F.R.S.E. 



One of the unwritten chapters in the science and practice of arboricul- 

 ture is that detailing the duties and operations of the forester during the 

 summer months, and the necessity for these being carefully attended to; 

 and it may be well in the opening number of a Journal of Forestry, 

 and at so opportune a season of the year, to devote a few pages to the 

 consideration of so important a subject, and one hitherto so little re- 

 ferred to in the economy of woodlands. 



The summer months, comprising as they do the peiiod of nature's 

 greatest activity and growth in the forest, no less than in the field, 

 are perhaps apt to be looked upon by the general student of arbori- 

 culture as a season during which Nature in the richness of her 

 greeneiy should be left alone in undisturbed activity ; and it may 

 be thought, perhaps, that any interference with her operations during 

 such a time will only prove valueless, if not actually detrimental to 

 ultimate desired results. There can, however, be no greater fallacy 

 than such an hypothesis, for independently of his attention to many 

 forester's duties, such as barking of timber, &c., which are appropriate 

 only to the summer, the occupation of the practical woodman or 

 arborist during this season may be otherwise a very busy one indeed, 

 by contributing in many ways by his skilful treatment and observation, 

 in assisting Nature during her greatest activity, in developing and per- 

 fecting her various interesting and marvellous processes of annual 

 growth of tree and shrub, whether in woodland, hedgerow, or lordly 

 park. 



The practical forester who wishes to perform his duties in an 

 enlightened and scientific manner, and with due regard to physio- 

 logical distinctions and processes, must bear in mind that lie has 

 to deal with iivmtj organisms, and that his interferences with or 

 operations against nature's laws — even when these, from exceptional 

 circumstances, may be to some extent necessary, — if executed in 

 a rash defiance of oil that these laws inculcate, are certain to 

 produce failure ; and the living organism whose habits or economy he 



