38 



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 youno" 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 judiciously 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 aud other 

 insects. When the sun lies warm in February aud March on 

 wooded hillsides the partridge (Bo7iasa 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 Imloviciana) and the purple finch {Car- 

 IMdacu^ piirpureus) attack both buds and blossoms, scattering 

 SHOwy petals far aud wide. All trees have many so-called 

 enemies whicli 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 iu normal 

 numbers are beneficial rather than injurious. Their interests are 

 identical with those of the tree which supplies tliem with susten- 

 ance. A few caterpillars may be a benefit by removing surplus 

 foliage, aud thus checking a too vigorous development which 

 otherwise might be injurious. Others, if not too numerous, may 

 benefit by destroying the surplus fruit. Certain insects, as tlie 

 oak pruuer, cut off the twigs, others, like tlie imported leopard 

 moth, destroy branches. In 1896, oak pruners {^Elaphklion viUo- 

 sum) were numerous in eastern Massachusetts. They attacked 

 several species of oaks, also hickories and maples. They also 

 attacked the apple tree. Tlieir occurrence in numbers seems to 

 be periodical, aud thus the trees arc subject to a more or less 

 regular periodical pruning. Large quantities of twigs and siuall 

 branches fell from the oaks and other trees in 1896, and it ap- 



* 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 Kaltenbacb 

 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.) 



