WOODS AND PLANTATIONS. 391 



stances, however, which occur amongst trees in plantations, which require 

 some attention in the way of pruning. As a rule, I would say, " Prune 

 not at all ; " but, as I have already stated, there are instances where 

 pruning, applied judiciously, is of great advantage. If it be properly car- 

 ried out in such cases, the trees so treated will be much improved ; but, 

 on the other hand, if pruning is carried too far, or be ill directed, the 

 result will be mischievous. 



The object of pruning, or indeed of any other attention to trees, is to 

 increase the quantity of timber. When pruning is necessary, this should 

 be done before the branches have attained any considerable size, as a 

 great amount of harm is done by removing large branches from the 

 trunk, it being always found that the timber round the part cut is 

 injured, and proves worthless. No branch over three or four inches in 

 diameter at the part to be cut should be removed from a tree close to 

 the stem. In such cases I would prefer shortening the branch merely, 

 as where any strong branches interfere with the growth of the main 

 trunk, all that is necessary is to check the growth of these branches 

 it is not necessary to remove them. 



It is a common practice amongst foresters to take off the greater portion 

 of the side branches of young hardwood trees previous to being planted, 

 and also after they are planted. It may have been observed that where 

 those cuts have been made there are usually a number of small shoots 

 which spring out from the cut or round about it, thus showing that the 

 sap has been attracted to these points, or been stopped in its upward 

 course. I have also frequently observed that where young trees have 

 been severely pruned of their side branches, the sap was so much 

 checked in its upward course that the top died out. 



All the pruning that is necessary for young forest-trees may be done 

 in the nursery previous to their being removed into the plantations, 

 and this should be done by removing any very small branches or buds 

 found growing very low down on the stem, and those are better removed 

 by the finger and thumb than by using a knife ; and we should also 

 check any branches in the top of the tree which may be getting too 

 strong, so as to interfere with and get the mastery of the leading shoot. 

 Where any branches of that kind are found, it would be acting inju- 

 diciously to remove them close to the stem, as this would remove a 

 great number of leaves, and consequently of so many mouths which 

 feed the plant ; but the branches should be cut through about half-way 

 from the trunk, or from that to two-thirds of their entire length from 

 the stem. In such cases, what is wanted is not the removal of the 

 branch, but the checking of it so that it may not interfere with the 

 growth of the main stem. 



