286 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



young pines, having had a start in the shade, flourish and 

 afford some shade for still younger seedlings, whieh quickly 

 germinate from the seed scattered through the lot. In some 

 cases the cattle turned out to browse keep down the broad- 

 leafed species and spare the pines. Thus the pine wood 

 succeeds the oak. 



Pruning the Trees. 

 If the young tree escapes or survives the assaults of its 

 many enemies and grows lustily and vigorously, it is prone 

 to an over-production of fruit or leaves. Orchardists and 

 foresters practice pruning, and believe that when it is ju- 

 diciously done it is good for the tree. In this practice they 

 are right when they follow nature, and do not attempt to 

 " improve " too much upon her methods. Nature has many 

 ways of pruning. Superfluous buds are nipped off by birds, 

 or destroyed by bud worms and other insects. When the 

 sun lies warm in February and March on wooded hillsides 

 the partridge (Bonasa umbellus) may be seen " budding" 

 on the alders and birches. Neither is it a stranger in the 

 orchard, for it is fond of the apple buds. In May the rose- 

 breasted grosbeak (Habia ludoviciana) and the purple finch 

 (Carpodacus purpureus) attack both buds and blossoms, 

 scattering snowy petals far and wide. All trees have many 

 so-called enemies which live upon them. There are said to 

 be over five hundred different species of insects injurious to 

 the oak.* Still we have oaks, for most of these insects 

 when occurring in normal numbers are beneficial rather than 

 injurious. Their interests are identical with those of the tree 

 which supplies them with sustenance. A few caterpillars 

 may be a benefit by removing surplus foliage, and thus check- 

 ing a too vigorous development which otherwise might be in- 

 jurious. Others, if not too numerous, may benefit the tree 

 by destroying the surplus fruit. Certain insects, as the oak 

 pruner, cut off the twigs ; others, like the imported leopard 



• Packard says : •' The number of determined species of oak insects recorded in 

 the following pages is over four hundred, while the number of undetermined species 

 would carry the number up to over five hundred, or about as many as Kaltenbach 

 records for Germany. It is not improbable that ultimately the number of species of 

 the United States will be between six hundred and eight hundred or even one thou- 

 sand." (5th Rep. U. S. Ent. Com., 1886-90.) 



