PLANTING 63 



of self-planted forests. Hence, instead of an average of two or three perfect 

 trees on any given space (suppose an acre) left by the unassisted etforts 

 of nature, we shall have from forty to three hundred perfect trees, accord- 

 ing- to the species of timber, by the judicious application of art in the pre- 

 paration of the soil and the after culture of the trees, and probably on 

 soils, too, which, without such assistance, could never have reared a single 

 tree. 



But though judicious pruning greatly assists in the production of a tall, 

 straight bole, free from blemish, yet unless those circumstances before 

 mentioned are favourable, as a vigorous, healthy constitution of the plant 

 in its seedling stage of growth, transplantation to its timber sites at a 

 proper age, and a soil suitably prepared and adapted to the species of tree, 

 pruning will be found but of small efficacy*. 



It was supposed that when branches are taken from a tree, so many 

 organs of waste are cut off; and it has been practically insisted upon that, 

 by the removal of large branches, the supply of sap and nourishment which 

 went to their support would go to a proportionate increase of the stern. 

 From what has already been stated respecting the course and movement 

 of the sap, it may be unnecessary to add that this opinion is erroneous in 

 principle, and that when a branch is cut off a portion of nourishment to 

 the stem is cut off" also specifically from that part of it which lies between 

 the origin of the branch and the root, downwards to the root. Every 

 branch of a tree, of whatever size it may be, not only draws nourishment 

 and increase of substance from that part of the stem which stands under 

 it, and from the roots, but also supplies these with a due proportion of 

 nourishment in return, and by which their substance is increased. If the 

 branch, whether large or small, acted merely as a drain on the vessels of 

 the stem, and that the sap it derived from it was elevated to the leaves of 

 the branch, and from thence returned no farther than to the origin or point 

 of its union with the stem, then the above opinion would be correct: on 

 the contrary, however, when it is found that the existence and increase of 

 every twig, branch, and leaf, depends on a communication with the root, 

 and that this communication passes through the stem downwards to that 

 organ, and from it upwards periodically, and, moreover, that every 

 periodical series of new vessels thus formed in the branch has a corre- 



* At Blair Adam pruning was resorted to, in some instances, where the trees were too 

 far advanced in age for that operation, but it was rendered necessary, in those instances, 

 by due attention not having been paid to those portions of the wood at an earlier period. 

 The rule then and there followed was, not to cut off any branch which left a horizontal 

 surface exposed : they were cut so as to have the surface of the cut in the line of the stem, 

 with a very sharp heavy bill, at the time the sap was rising : the effect of this was 

 uniformly to secure a considerable growth of the bark over the wound before winter 

 set in. This has obtained stem for the trees that were so treated, but it is greatly feared 

 that when they are put to use, there may be weaknesses (in the dockyards called blanks) 

 at the parts where the pruning has taken place. 



To make valuable wood, length of stem is essential, and the practice at Blair Adam, in 

 consequence of experience, has been to obtain this by knife pruning in the earlier years, 

 by bill pruning as they grow older (say to twenty-five years, when the lateral branches are 

 easily cut and soon barked over), then by leaving them to press upon each other more 

 severely than vigorous thinners would permit. 



Two effects seem to be produced by this : First, they draw each other up to stem ; 

 secondly, they produce a certain decay in the lower lateral branches. When those effects 

 are sufficiently attained, and before any risk is incurred to the power of the tree to obtain 

 thickness, the thinning is commenced by gradually, and according to the best judgment 

 that can be formed, taking out the inferior trees and those best grown trees which injure 

 each other, but taking care to do this so gradually as to secure against any chill or 

 sudden effect of cold, so as to bring about (what may be called) the injury of being 

 bark-bound, the most" effectual impediment to growth either in height or thickness. 



