GAVIN CREE'S SYSTEM OF PRUNING. 261 



performed about fifty years ago, was done by or under 

 direction of the late Mr Gavin Cree, nurseryman, 

 Biggar, and extended to all parts of the United King- 

 dom. His system at that time met with very general 

 acceptance, was adopted and recommended by some of 

 the most intelligent landed proprietors of the day, and 

 he therefore earned for himself no small share of fame. 

 Mr Cree's system, like most others, contained much 

 that was commendable, but the little that was wrong 

 in it was more than sufficient to neutralise all the 

 good. 



The following is a brief outline of the system prac- 

 tised by Mr Cree, which it is necessary to give before 

 pointing out the sad results ; but very few, it is pre- 

 sumed, will at all anticipate, even after listening to 

 the theory, what the practical results were. The fol- 

 lowing are his own words in regard to it : 



" The common sap having extended over all the 

 branches, mingles with the fluid absorbed by the 

 leaves, and losing the watery and aeriform principles 

 which are useless for nutrition by evaporation, it re- 

 turns down the vessels of the bark, and in its course 

 deposits cambium, which forms the annual rings of 

 wood, then extends to and strengthens the extremities 

 of the roots, whereby they are made to extract more 

 nourishment from the soil throughout the season ; and 

 as the two saps commingle in the leaves, the descending 

 sap, which has not been deposited, in like manner 

 mixes with that extracted by the rootlets, and is again 

 carried up with the ascending sap. 



" How to economise these fluids for the advantage 

 of the tree is to be considered. It is obvious, then, 

 that when the upper lateral branches are shortened to 

 half the length of the leading stem, and the others 



