158 THE PRACTICAL PLANTER. 



This matter, however, should be regulated 

 by the state of health the plant is in ; judging 

 by its vigour, whether, in all probability, it 

 has strength sufficient speedily to cicatrize 

 the wound. 



But it may be necessary to observe, that 

 if young trees are properly kept in training 

 'for this purpose, the necessity of lopping 

 strong branches by the bole will rarely hap- 

 pen ; for, shortened branches become twigs 

 in a few years, if a proper leader be encou- 

 raged. And this should be done for some 

 twenty or thirty years, or until the trunk 

 hath acquired strength sufficient to support 

 the head 9 after being laid in a horizontal po- 

 sition. 



C 2dly. THE ELM. I have already observed 

 of this plant, (Chap. I. Sect. III.) that, 

 if allowed room, its propensity is to grow 

 crooked, resembling the Oak in form, &c. 

 and may therefore, in many cases, be ap- 

 plied to the purposes of ship and boat 

 building. (Observe, I speak of the rough- 

 leaved, or Scotch Elm.) Therefore, what 

 has been advanced above, on pruning and 

 training the Oak, will equally apply to the 



