Ij6 FOREST PLANTATIONS. {Jail. 



where timber is the objeft. Notwithstanding that 

 we here fully admit the great utility of clofe maf- 

 fes for the procuring of ftraight clean timber, it 

 mufl be obvious to every one, that, for a number 

 of the earlier years of the exiftence of the foreft, 

 however extenfive it may be, the plants will not 

 feel that influence from proximity which is necef- 

 fary to give them the upright tendency or direc- 

 tion that is fo highly defirable. Hence the ne- 

 ceflity of early pruning of foreft plantations. The 

 faying, ' Train up a child in the way he mould 

 * go when he is young, and when he is old he 

 4 will not depart from it, * may well be applied 

 in the prefent cafe. 



From the importance of this fubjeft, then, we 

 beg leave here to repeat, that the pruning of all 

 deciduous trees mould be begun at the top, or at 

 leaft thofe branches which are to be removed from 

 thence mould never be loft fight of. Having fix- 

 ed upon what may be deemed the beft moot for 

 a leader, or that by which the item is moft evi- 

 dently to be elongated and enlarged, every other 

 branch on the plant mould be rendered fubfer- 

 vient to it, either by removing them inftantly, or 

 by fhortening them. Where a plant has branch- 

 ed into two or more rival ftems, and there are no 

 other very ftrong branches upon it, nothing more 

 needs to be done for it, than fimply to lop off 

 the weakeft clean by the bole, leaving only the 



i ftrongeft 



