390 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



to have their own way. Yet I am to take advantage of the fact of nature's bounty, 

 and to say that the great importance of arboriculture is more manifest from the early 

 care which she takes in covering the surface of countries with trees. 



It may be safely said that civilisation cannot advance without trees, and that those 

 must be the most civilised people who cultivate them on scientific principles. 



Purely practical men may say they want nothing more to guide them as to which 

 trees are suitable to various soils, elevations, and exposures ; and securing these, the 

 results or effects produced must, as a natural consequence, be of the most satisfactory 

 and of one kind namely, healthiness ; but while quite sufficient so far, it cannot 

 subserve the purposes of science as to the health of the people, and other influences. 



Practical forestry has made great strides during the last thirty years. It has been 

 slow but sure ; and from this I would fain predict that so sure will be the ultimate 

 success of arboriculture as a standing science in our country. I can well see that to 

 know a tree, in every sense of the word, will yet become the aspiration of every sound- 

 thinking man. 



But to attain to this, and to bring arboriculture, as a science for everyday use, 

 within the grasp of not only the^practical woodman, but the majority of landed pro- 

 prietors, it is necessary that some system for guidance as to observations or other 

 information should be established by a body of scientific men. It is no doubt a wide 

 field, out of which much more may issue than the few indications I have briefly sketched. 

 I have barely introduced the subject, but this is not the time to go into detail ; and 

 if I do not succeed in gaining for arboriculture such a position in science as I think 

 its importance deserves, I hope I have suggested as much as will lead to at least a 

 careful consideration of it, which in its turn will, I trust, result in encouragement 

 to go the length of your giving as you say yourselves a systematic direction to 

 scientific inquiry on the subject. 



Much gratification was expressed at this subject having been brought before the 

 Section, and Mr Brown was greatly complimented for his interesting papc'r. 



SECTION 9. The Pruning of Forest-Trees. 



There are great differences of opinion existing amongst practical 

 foresters as to the pruning of forest-trees. Some think pruning not 

 only unnecessary, but prejudicial to the health of the plants, and also 

 that certain modes of pruning injuriously affect the quality of the 

 timber afterwards. On the other hand, there are those who approve 

 and adopt pruning to a moderate extent, while others prune largely. 

 I must acknowledge myself to be amongst those who adopt pruning 

 moderately. We know that the leaves of a tree are essential to its 

 growth ; and if pruning is carried out extensively, a large amount of 

 leaf-bearing surface is removed, and therefore must be prejudicial to the 

 growth of the tree. 



If trees, after being planted, are kept at proper distances from each 

 other, there will not be much occasion for pruning, at least in the side 

 branches of the trees, as nature will be her own primer. There are in- 



