120 THE NATURE AND PRACTICE 



two-thirds of an inch in diameter at their base, 

 cut from the trunks, and close to the bark, to the 

 height of about one-third the height of the tree 

 in each case ; next, all branches which grew upon 

 the same part, with a diameter at base exceeding 

 the last mentioned, I cut off to within about four 

 inches of the stem or trunk from which they pro- 

 ceeded, leaving the stems in the mean time ; and all 

 large top branches, which appeared to be gaining 

 strength upon the leading top shoot, I shortened down 

 to nearly one-half of their whole length : but in all 

 cases where two top shoots appeared, I cut one of 

 them closely away, always leaving the one which 

 appeared to be the most healthy and strong, and 

 which at the same time appeared to come most 

 directly from the centre of the system of the tree. 



But I must observe here, that in the pruning of 

 a young hard-wood plantation, all the trees do not 

 require to be pruned to the same extent — in many 

 instances it will be found that pruning is not 

 necessary at all ; and so it was in the case of the 

 plantation I am referring to. Wherever a hard- 

 wood tree is drawn up rather closely among 

 iirs, with sufficient head-room, it seldom produces 

 many side branches, but will grow upwards to the 

 light ; therefore, in all cases of pruning, where the 

 side branches upon a young tree are few, let such 

 remain, and merely shorten them down where they 

 are long and slender. Pruning is an unnatural 



