PLANTATIONS. 89 



come to be almost universally condemned : but 

 this is a common error, and has been too often 

 shown, to render it necessary for me to expose it 

 here. Some very valuable observations on pruning 

 have been published by Mr. Main, in his excellent 

 little work, entitled " The Forest Planter and 

 Pruner's Assistant." At page 53, the following 

 paragraph occurs : " But the only part of a wood- 

 man's duty which does not appear to be well 

 defined, or at least not generally agreed upon by 

 practical men, is relative to the necessity of care- 

 fully pruning and managing the trees during the 

 first fifteen or twenty years of their growth." 



I quote the last member of the above with 

 entire approbation : that is, so far as the necessity 

 for pruning is recognized in it: and I further 

 think, that the reasons which are given by Mr. 

 Main for pruning, and the manner in which he 

 has illustrated his principle the clear and satis- 

 factory way in which he has treated the whole 

 subject entitle him to the confidence, and to the 

 thanks, of all who are interested in the growth 

 of trees. But I am very far indeed from agreeing 

 with him in the opinion so adventurously given, 



