OF PRUNING TREES. 121 



operation, and ought always to be avoided unless 

 absolutely necessary ; that is, it ought to be avoided 

 wherever the tree does not produce unnaturally 

 strong side branches, excepting in so far as to clear 

 from branches one-third of the height of the tree 

 from the ground, in order to form a trunk ; and 

 even upon this part, where the branches are large, 

 they ought to be taken off gradually, as already 

 noticed. Having gone through this plantation, 

 and pruned the trees therein in the manner above 

 described, I allowed it to remain so for the space 

 of two years ; when I again went through it a 

 second time, and pruned in the following manner 

 all the oaks that stood in need of it. 



Having taken out a few more of the firs, which I 

 observed were rather encroaching upon the young 

 liard wood, and having examined the general state 

 of the same, I found that they had thriven remark- 

 ably well during the two years since I pruned 

 them. I now found, that from being relieved of a 

 superfluous and unnatural weight of side branches, 

 they were growing tall, and in a generally healthy 

 and rapid-growing state ; therefore, seeing this, I 

 cut close to the main stem or part which formed the 

 trunk, all those stumps which I formerly shortened 

 to four inches, and in regvdating the tops of the 

 young trees, I merely shortened such shoots as 

 had the appearance of ultimately gaining strength 

 upon the main top shoot. With regard to my rea- 



