126 THINNING. 



the Bonnet fir, so designated from its rounded dome- 

 like top, pendulous branches, and peculiar red and 

 strong bark (all the result of soil, climate, and 

 situation), differing from the south country pine in 

 every respect to such a degree as to produce those 

 distinctive features, alike marked and conspicuous. 

 That this is purely imaginary could be easily demon- 

 strated and proved ; but meanwhile I may remark that 

 the snow which falls more plentifully in these Alpine 

 districts than in the Lowlands and southern parts of 

 the country, greatly contribute in imparting to the 

 trees the characteristic features of the Bonnet fir. By 

 the weight of the snow the top is often so much broken 

 and crushed as to assume its dome-like and pendulous 

 shape. The soil, too, which is dry, hard, and gravelly, 

 imparts to the timber those qualities for which it is 

 so justly celebrated ; and the age which it is thus 

 allowed to attain being at least double that which 

 plantations in general are allowed them, crowns and 

 completes the list of qualities for which the native 

 Highland pine fir is so justly celebrated. 



The growth and culture of forest-trees, however, 

 being a means of accomplishing an economical and 

 industrial end rather than that of merely fulfilling a 

 law in nature, or accomplishing mere natural results, 

 we shall be led subsequently to inquire how far arti- 

 ficial thinning of woods and plantations is conducive 

 to these results. 



While planting may justly be regarded as the 

 operation of putting the tree into its proper place and 

 position to grow, thinning may with equal propriety 

 be considered the handmaid to the process of growing 

 it. If a tree is improperly planted, whether as re- 

 spects place, position, or otherwise, no future treat- 



