0)1 prufling Forest Trees. 307 



but by leaving the branches in sets of three or four (as it may 

 happen), diverging from one place, and clearing the trunk of 

 all intermediate branches and spray between these sets. This 

 style of pruning, though it has perhaps been never or but 

 rarely executed, is, nevertheless, quite practicable : it is only 

 pruning the oak, so as to make the disposition of its branches 

 resemble those of a fir tree, but with greater distances be- 

 tween the tiers. But in all ordinary cases, if a sufficient 

 length of bole be gained, the branched head may be depended 

 on to furnish knee timbers. Pine and fir timber, for the use 

 of builders and mast-makers, cannot be too free from knots, 

 and it is impossible to have it so, unless planted and trained 

 up as closely as possible. When so standing, no lower 

 branches can live to distort the longitudinal structure of the 

 axis. The centre of such stems, when cut up for use, only 

 shows the diminutive bases of the first laterals ; but every 

 concentric layer of wood imposed after these first branches 

 decay is uniform in longitudinal arrangement, and is uninter- 

 rupted by knots. A single fir tree requires a large space, 

 and produces the worst timber ; its first branches continue 

 to enlarge and extend themselves, sweeping the ground as 

 long as the trunk continues to rise; and though the latter 

 arrives at a great size, its quality is of the most inferior de- 

 scription. In fact, fine-grained deal cannot be produced, 

 unless the trees are planted, or chance to stand, as those in 

 Norway from which battens and ladder poles are cut for 

 exportation, so closely together as to prevent all extension of 

 branches. All the pine and fir tribe intended for profit should 

 be planted to grow up, and be all cut down, together, like a 

 crop of corn. They do not admit of being partially drawn. 

 They may be called, on this account, social trees, thriving best 

 in congregations ; for, so soon as the unity of the assemblage is 

 broken, the exposed trees, losing their wonted protection, not 

 only cease to thrive, but often die. Firs planted for ornament 

 should stand at considerable distances, otherwise they never 

 show the grandeur of their forms. The pruner must not 

 touch them ; his interference only tends to make them the 

 most ugly objects in the vegetable kingdom. Planted as 

 nurses in young plantations of deciduous trees, they are easily 

 kept within due bounds, by a very simple method of pruning, 

 practised by Mr. Billington ; viz., by pinching off, from time to 

 time, the leading buds of the branches. This induces a spray- 

 covered rather than a naked stem, and prevents the encroach- 

 ment of the branches on the nei<)!;hbouring trees, without 

 destroymg then- own character and usefulness as nurses. By 

 the sam.e means, fir trees may be formed into impervious 



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