224 PRUNING. 



their growth. To have timber of the finest grain and 

 quality, no lateral branches should be allowed to arrive 

 at any considerable size, that grow within the conve- 

 nient reach of the primer. They act as rivals to the 

 principal stem ; and if after they are seen to act thus 

 injuriously, they be cut off, the wound thereby made 

 is so large that a flaw in the timber is the consequence. 

 The soundness of timber is not deteriorated by 

 pruning, provided the wound made in lopping- be no 

 greater than will be covered by new bark and wood 

 during the following- summer. A scar made by the 

 axe, bill, or chisel, if exposed longer than twelve 

 months, will always be a defect in the timber ; for 

 though it may be afterwards covered smoothly over 

 by the new collapsing wood, it is impossible that any 

 perfect union can take place between a surface of 

 timber exposed to the air for six months, and that 

 which is subsequently formed over it. 



Forest pruning is generally performed in the 

 winter ; all wood work (except oak, larch, c., felling- 

 and peeling) is done in that season, chiefly because 

 the leaves are off, and the growth at rest. It is 

 necessary to state, however, that lopping performed 

 in the beginning- of summer would be a better prac- 

 tice for the good of the trees. The reason is this ; 

 wounds made in winter do not immediately begin to 

 be healed by the collapsing wood, which in time will 

 be spread over them ; because that member of the 

 system which is alone capable of closing a wound is 

 then torpid, and the exposed wood of the wound is 



