36 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



It is obvious that there is opportunity in this for the exercise 

 of skill and judgment. No rule can be formulated as a general 

 instruction. Each tree must be studied for the ascertainment of 

 its requirements, which will be governed by its intrinsic vigour, 

 and by its relationship to surroundings. And here I wish to 

 give prominence to one point in its bearing upon the trees in the 

 Mall. Removal of competing leader shoots leaves the selected 

 leader in a position of exposure to wind currents, comparable 

 with that of the individual tree itself in isolated planting. It 

 loses the protection of its fellows, and is in consequence subject 

 to greater risk of breakage, or even of being blown out entirely, 

 than it is where there is no interference with natural branching. 

 In the case of trees like those in the Mall — of vigorous growth 

 in rich soil, forming long leaders with less tenacious wood — the 

 liability to injury in this way is very great, and some of them 

 have suffered. The damage can be repaired by the formation 

 of a new leader, but the accident means retardation ot upward 

 growth. The importance of this as a factor in the problem of 

 pruning the trees in the Mall cannot be over-estimated, and it 

 has been well considered, and practice correctly moulded in 

 relation to it, by those who have had the direction of the pruning. 



If I have made my explanation clear, the Board will realise 

 that the practice pursued in the parks is thoroughly sound, and 

 based on scientific principles. The natural development of the 

 growth-form of the tree has been disciplined to give the form 

 that is required in the particular situation, and in an admirable 

 manner. So well, indeed, that I should like, were it possible, to 

 have a photograph of the trees without foliage and with foliage 

 transmitted to every local body to which the care of trees in 

 thoroughfares is entrusted, as an example of what should be 

 aimed at. 



I examined also the young trees in the park surrounding the 

 Mall, and found there the same excellence in the pruning. 



I may, in concluding, point out that in contrast with, and 

 emphasising the excellence of, the method pursued in the Mall 

 and the parks, the young plane trees in Piccadilly, opposite 

 Hamilton Place, show mutilation by unscientific pruning — trees 

 with besom tops and twisted truncated limbs bearing a few 

 bristle shoots and an inadequate number of branches d'appel. 

 To anyone who wishes to see side by side illustration of correct 

 and of incorrect treatment of young plane trees in thoroughfares. 



