OF PRUNING TREES. 123 



increased with the health of the trees ; but this cure 

 is only apphcable to trees in a young state. I have 

 succeeded in effecting it upon trees under twenty 

 years old. 



After pruning the oak plantation in the way 

 just detailed, I next set to the pruning of another 

 oak plantation of about twenty years' standing. 

 This other plantation of oaks was situated in a 

 rather sheltered part of the estate ; and from hav- 

 ing been nursed by Scots firs, many of which were 

 growing when I commenced pruning operations 

 there, the oak trees were very much drawn up. I 

 observed that the oaks had never been either thin- 

 ned or pruned, and consequently were growing 

 within four feet of one another — that being the 

 distance at which they had been originally plant- 

 ed. As the situation was a sheltered one, I tliin- 

 ned out a few of the Scots firs, and also a few of 

 the oaks, previous to commencing to prune ; and 

 when I had those removed, and the trees standing 

 more upon their own weight, 1 saw that they were, 

 from the effects of having been drawn up, very 

 slender, and not able to stand much exposure or 

 much cutting in the way of pruning, although they 

 were from eight to fifteen feet in height ; and see- 

 ing them in this delicate state, I only shortened a 

 few of the stronger side branches below, and at the 

 same time shortened a few top branches upon each 

 tree as I found it necessary, in order that they 



