148 ORNAMENTAL PLANTATIONS. [Jail, 



In regard to Fir or Larch nurfes in grove plan- 

 tations, they fhould not be removed, nor perhaps 

 pruned, till their feventh or eighth year. Except- 

 ing when neceffary to remove any competing 

 branch, or fuch as bear too large a proportion to 

 the bole, they fhould not be pruned before this 

 age ; and wherever fuch occur, they ought to be 

 removed entirely by the bole. The top of no 

 Larch, at any period of its growth, mould be al- 

 lowed to be too crowded with lateral branches. 

 In every cafe where this happens, they fhould be 

 thinned out, to prevent its getting top heavy ; be- 

 ing careful, however, never to remove a great 

 proportion of them at once. Thofe intended to 

 be left, mould be pruned with very great caution ^ 

 u tiei\ or at the moil two tiers of their undermoft 

 branches, mould be removed the firft year of 

 pruning ; and fo forth annually, till their top bear 

 the fame proportion to their height, as is recom- 

 mended above for the hard wood. The fame 

 care to cut clean by the bole, muft be obferved 

 In the cafe of Firs and Larches, as is recommend- 

 ed above for the hard wood. 



In the pruning and thinning of a grove planta- 

 tion, care muft be had not to make it fo thin of 

 trees on the fkirts, as in the interior, nor to prune 

 the nurses fituated on the edges of the grove fo 

 much as more inwards. Many of the Larches, 

 and, perhaps, the Silver firs upon the fkirts, 



fhould 



