BOOK V. VI. 13-16 



from injury by cattle. If possible, the tree should 

 be cut through with a single blow ; if not, it will 

 have to be sawn through and the wound smoothed 

 off with a pruning-hook and covered with mud 

 mixed with straw, so that it may not be damaged by 

 the sun or the rain. After a year or two, when the 14 

 little branches which have come forth have duly 

 gained strength, it will be fitting that those which 

 are superfluous should be pruned away and those 

 which are suitable should be allowed to grow freely 

 and take their place in the row. If an elm has made 

 good progress since it was planted, its topmost rods 

 should be freed from knots with a pruning-hook ; 

 but if the small branches are vigorous, they should 

 be cut off with a knife in such a way that you leave 

 a little stump projecting from the trunk. Then when 

 the tree has gained strength, whatever can be reached 

 with a pruning-hook should be cut away and smoothed 

 off, without, however, any wound being inflicted on 

 the body of the mother-tree. It will be proper to 

 shape the young elm in the following manner. Where 15 

 the soil is rich, eight feet should be left from the 

 ground, without any branches, or seven feet in poor 

 soil ; then above this the tree must be divided into 

 three parts throughout its circumference, and small 

 branches, one on each of the three sides, should be 

 allowed to grow and be allotted to the first" stage." 16 

 Then, three feet above, other branches must be 

 allowed to grow in such a manner that their position 

 is not in the same line as in the stage underneath ; and 

 the tree will have to be arranged on the same principle 

 right up to the top. In stripping the tree care must j 

 be taken that the knobs which are left where the rods 

 have been cut away do not project too much, and that 



53 



