1868. 



KEW ENGLAND FARBIER. 



83 



the tree is comparatively dormant, say from 

 November to February, I have found to be 

 the most favorable season for trimming. While 

 the wood is frozen the saw runs easier and 

 clogs less, and although some object to trim- 

 ming trees when frozen, I regard this as the 

 most favorable time, if done with care. When 

 trimmed at this season, there will be but little 

 flow of sap, and the ends of the limbs will be 

 seared over in the spring, by the time the cir- 

 culation is active, when fresh wounds bleed 

 badly. 



In the next place, great care should be taken 

 to avoid wounding the tree unnecessarily. 

 Rough usage is the main cause of the preju- 

 dice against trimming pine trees. The axe or 

 hatchet should never be used, even when the 

 limbs are dead and comparatively brittle, as 

 the bark on one side or other of the limb 

 knocked off is almost sure to be bruised. The 

 limbs should be carefully sawed off in all cases. 



From my experience, I find there is little 

 use in trimming trees which stand alone and 

 exposed to the sun and weather. The pine 

 should grow in clusters, or the trunks be shaded 

 by other trees. 



The work of tri mm ing pine trees should be 

 commenced while they are quite young, 

 but the limbs should not be removed until they 

 show signs of decay, or, rather, evidence of 

 having fulfilled the purpose for which the lower 

 limbs were designed. 



To illustrate the advantages resulting from 

 judicious trimming, I will mention the follow- 

 ing facts. Twenty years ago one of my sons 

 trimmed a tree which was then about five 

 inches in diameter. This fall ten boards from 

 this tree were exhibited at the Mechanics' Fair 

 in Lowell, which contained 100 feet, board 

 measure. Six of these boards, three from 

 each side, were clear stuff, worth at least $60 

 per 1000 feet. Rather more than one-half of 

 the four inside boards was also clear stuflf of 

 the same value. The central part of these 

 four boards was knotty and worth about $22 

 per 1000 feet. Consequently over three-fourths 

 of the 100 feet were worth 6 cents per foot, 

 and the remainder 2 cents and 2 mills per foot. 

 If the tree had not been trimmed, nearly or 

 quite the whole of the lumber would have been 

 worth only the latter sum. 



In this fast age, the rapid growth of pine 

 timber on fair land is too much underrated. 

 When a boy, I remember of going into the 

 woods with an older sister, to get the top of a 

 small pine for a distaff. My sister stepped up- 

 on a rock, near which pine trees were growing, 

 and pulled the top of a straight, thrifty one 

 towards her, for the purpose of cutting off the 

 top ; but finally concluded not to, as the tree 

 was so handsome, and took her distaff from a 

 smaller bush. That tree is still growing, and 

 was recently estimated by good judges to be 

 from 90 to 100 feet high, and to be sufficient 

 to produce 1000 feet of good lumber and one 

 cord of firewood. 



In order to form an opinion of the time ne- 

 cessary to trim trees nme feet high, I once 

 timed myself on a dozen, which were situated 

 about 40 rods from the house, and found it 

 took me fifty-five minutes to "trim the' twelve 

 trees, Including the time spent in going to and 

 returning from the lot. B. F. Cutter. 



Pelham, N. H., Dec. 18, 1867. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 

 THE CLOSITTG YEAR. 

 "Ring out the old— ring in the new." 



The close of the year has been so often im- 

 proved as a fit occasion for moralizing and ser- 

 monizing, that it is rather hazardous to attempt 

 to write on a subject so worn and exhausted. 



I have no sympathy wiih those writers who 

 regard the later months of the year as gloomy 

 and sad, and peculiarly admonitory, because 

 it is the season of the faded and fallen leaf; 

 because the birds and flowers have departed, 

 and because we have s'» many tokens of ap- 

 proaching winter; greatly preferring the more 

 cheerful and rational views of H. W. Beecher 

 and "Essecker" of Salem. 



It is true that the decline and passing away 

 of succeeding years remind us of the decline 

 and passing away of succeeding generations 

 of men ; but the established order of nature 

 and of Providence, which ushers in new years 

 and new beings, only on condition that the old 

 shall pass onward, has In none of its operations 

 aught that can properly be regarded with re- 

 gret or sadness. The silent forces of nature, 

 under the direction of our great Ruler and 

 Benefactor, have lent their kindly aid and co- 

 operation to man In elaborating an ample har- 

 vest, and now rest, because their work is done, 

 and well done. To the husbandman who did 

 not neglect to plough by reason of the cold, 

 or to hoe by reason of the heat, there comes 

 no unpleasant sequel to the fact that "The 

 harvest Is past, the summer is ended." 



What though the dark clouds should lower, 

 and the storm should come with angry, threat- 

 ening winds, how Impotent and harmless do 

 they appear to those who have full barns, 

 granaries and cellars, with secure defences for 

 themselves and their herds. 



Delightful In their season are the songs of 

 birds and the trilling of insects ; but the pleas- 

 ure which their music affords is enhanced by 

 its intermission, that its cadence and echo may 

 linger on the ear and In the memory till it 

 again returns. Beautiful in their season are 

 the flowers of spring and early summer, but 

 the essential beauties which they represent and 

 shadow forth are confined to no season or 

 place ; and are as omnipresent and immortal as 

 the Divine Mind in which they originated. 

 We have seen nature In the graceful attire of 

 spring, In the full dress of summer and the 

 brilliancy of autimm ; we may now, with more 

 hallowed pleasure, enter her hyemal temple 



