450 Ofi the Supporting of 



the vicissitudes of the weather will shortly render them in- 

 effectual. When wet, they press injuriously from increased 

 tightness, or are occasionally broken, and in high winds, with- 

 out rain, they become elongated so as to admit of motion, and 

 consequently friction, to the injury of the bark at least, and 

 frequently also to the destruction of the nascent radicles or 

 fibres by the rocking of the tree ; and, to complete the disaster, 

 they will probably be found some stormy morning to have 

 been worn through, and the tree blown over, just when it was 

 supposed to have been nearly out of danger. Nails only, and 

 nothing but nails, can be depended upon; but, to be trust- 

 worthy, they must be made for the purpose. I give this 

 caution with painfid recollections : the brittle article usually 

 fabricated at the forge has caused me many disasters. If you 

 do not choose to be at the expense of copper, procure the 

 best nail-rod iron, made in a charcoal fire, such as that from 

 which horse-shoe nails are made, and cut it into proper 

 lengths, as needed, with a file. It is abundant in the market, 

 of the proper size, viz. from one quarter to three sixteenths of 

 an inch square. Never allow it to enter a smith's or nailer's 

 forge, else he will render it brittle from the sulphur of his 

 coals. The point is readily made at the same time you cut 

 the iron, and they require no heads; folding over does better, 

 and you have thus excellent nails for less than half the price 

 of bad ones. 



Before driving your nails, always bore your holes completely 

 through, with a gimlet of the same calibre as your nails. If 

 either the branch, or prop, or stake be split, it cannot be 

 expected to hold. Never use more than one nail at onejunc- 

 ture ; more are unnecessary, and the holes would weaken the 

 timber. 



Of Props. — It has already been mentioned, that as the 

 spars must give support in both directions ; they must neces- 

 sarily be of sufficient strength to be inflexible when supporting 

 the tree against the impulse of a gale of wind. Their lengths 

 must be determined by the height of the branch or stump to 

 which they are attached, as they will be found to answer best 

 when they form an angle of 45" with the surface and with the 

 stem of the tree. Greater elevation will not give the requisite 

 support; and less, though it may be as efficient, is not more 

 so, and adds unnecessarily to length and consequent incum- 

 brance. 



Of Stakes. — These must be of sufficient length to admit of 

 being driven at least 2 ft. into the solid subsoil, as the loose 

 cultivated earth will not affiard sufficient resistance. Great 

 strength is less essential than a solid head to allow a sufficient 



