<v; 

 & PJ> 



CHAP. CXI1I. CONI'FERJE, PI X NUS. \*^**3^ J? & 



sound wood (see p. 2161.). This, I presume, is by far the largest specimen of 



P. sylvestris on record; at least, I have never seen or heard of any at all like ^JV 



it._ Aberdeen. Haddo House, September 4-. 1837." 



Thinning find pruning in England. We have already noticed (p. 2134.) the 

 practice of Mr. Salmon and Mr. Pontey in England, both strong advocates 

 for thinning and pruning. On applying to the Duke of Bedford, to know the 

 results of the practice carried on under the direction of these arboriculturists 

 in the woods at Woburn, His Grace's forester, Mr. Ireland, informs us that 

 Mr. Salmon, by cutting off large branches rather carried the practice too far ; 

 but that the trees pruned under the direction of Mr. Pontey, about the years 

 1802 and 1803, were not in the slightest degree injured, as only a few of the 

 smaller branches were taken off. On examining the timber of such trees as 

 were cut down, Mr. Ireland found the places where the branches had been 

 cut off quite sound, with new wood formed over them ; but this new wood, 

 though closely covering the part cut off, yet did not incorporate itself with it. 

 On the other hand, he found the timber of some trees, where the branches 

 had died off naturally, in which the wood was unsound, though the wound 

 formed by the decayed branches was closely covered over with new and 

 sound wood ; thus, as Mr. Ireland remarks, showing the advantage of 

 cutting off the branches close to the bole when they are quite small, and 

 before they begin to decay. His Grace the Duke of Bedford, after informing 

 us that Mr. Ireland's statement as to the effect of pruning the Scotch pine is 

 correct, adds : " From pruning to thinning, the transition is obvious and 

 natural ; and I must confess myself a decided advocate of bold but judicious 

 thinning, in opposition to the practice of the Duke of Portland, at Welbeck. 

 Perhaps I may inherit this from my grandfather, John Duke of Bedford, 

 who was, even in those early days, a decided friend to thinning plantations 

 when young. I will state an anecdote on this subject, which is much at your 

 service, and may possibly amuse the readers of your Arboretum. In the 

 year 1743, my grandfather planted the large plantation in Woburn Park, now 

 known by the name of the 'Evergreens' (to commemorate the birth of his 

 daughter, afterwards Caroline Duchess of Marlborough) ; being something 

 more than 100 acres, and having been before that time a rabbit warren, 

 without a single tree upon it. In the course of a few years, the duke per- 

 ceived that the plantation required thinning, in order to admit a free circula- 

 tion of air, and give health and vigour to the young trees. He accordingly 

 gave instructions to his gardener, and directed him as to the mode and 

 extent of the thinning required. The gardener paused and hesitated, and at 

 length said : * Your Grace must pardon me if I humbly remonstrate against 

 your orders, but I cannot possibly do what you desire : it would at once 

 destroy the young plantation; and, moreover, it would be seriously injurious to 

 my reputation as a planter.' My grandfather, who was of an impetuous and 

 decided character, but always just, instantly replied : * Do as I desire you, and 

 1 will take care of your reputation.' The plantation, which ran for nearly a 

 mile along the road leading from the market town of Woburn to that of 

 Ampthill, was consequently thinned according to the instructions of the 

 duke, who caused a board to be fixed in the plantation, facing the wood, on 

 which was inscribed, * This plantation has been thinned by John Duke of 

 Bedford, contrary to the advice and opinion of his gardener.' Bedford. 

 The Doune of Rothiemnrchus, September 2. 1837." 



Felling. The age at which the Scotch pine should be felled depends on 

 the degree of perfection which the tree will attain in the particular locality. 

 On thin poor soils, where the trees are planted thick, it may be most profit- 

 able to cut the whole plantation down, like a crop of corn, as Mr. Main re- 

 commends (p. 2132.), at 20 or^SO years' growth ; while, on deeper and more 

 substantial soils, the trees will gain in dimensions for double or treble that 

 number of years ; and they ought to be left accordingly. 



Accidents, Diseases, $c. We are not aware of the Scotch pine being more 

 liable to accidents, diseases, or insects, than any other species of Abietinze, 

 or that it has any which are peculiar to it. Mathews states that the red- 



