OF PRUNING TREES. 101 



throw light on it. Many have recommended prun- 

 ing as an operation eminently fovourable to the 

 health of forest trees ; many more doubt this ; and 

 as many more affirm that pruning ought not to be 

 practised at all : and each, as he advocates his own 

 peculiar system of management as regards this, 

 gives an instance of some plantation he has had 

 under his care, as undeniably illustrating the ad- 

 vantages of the system he recommends. Now, all 

 the diversity of opinion arises from the want of a 

 properly extended knowledge upon the subject in 

 question. A man of extensive experience comes to 

 find, that no particular rule can be laid down to 

 answer the pruning of trees in all cases — he finds out 

 that pruning in some cases is proper, and in others 

 improper ; but the inexperienced man, who wishes 

 to be instructed in the art of pruning, when he sees 

 one man strongly recommend pruning in all cases, 

 and another as strongly urge its not being practised 

 in any, is brought to a stand. He becomes bewil- 

 dered, and knows not how to proceed; he is not 

 able in his own mind, from deficiency of experience, 

 to reason whether in his own case he should prune 

 or not. Now, the only way reasonably to confirm 

 the mind upon this important point is, not to lay 

 any particular stress upon any particular example 

 that may be given ; but to examine the true nature 

 of the art of pruning, and the tendency it has to 

 improve or retard the healthy development of trees 



