464 CruickshanK 's Practical Planter. 



interval, with that of the latter, he will have a practical demonstration of 

 the utter fallacy of Mi-. Pontey's assertions. The taking offof a few branches 

 will not, of course, be so injurious as the displacing at once of a great num- 

 ber; but none can be displaced, as the above experiment will show, without 

 materially retarding the growth of the plant." (p. 163.) 



The author's principle of priming deciduous trees amounts 

 to this rule : Never displace any branch which has not already 

 got, or which does not seem in immediate danger of 'getting, the 

 start of the leader, whether these branches proceed from the lower 

 or upper part of the trunk. We think this rule the most un- 

 exceptionable that has ever been given ; and we should wish 

 it impressed on the mind of every forester, together with that 

 of not pruning the pine and fir tribes at all. It does not fol- 

 low, speaking with reference to the deciduous trees, that 

 unthriving branches, whether large or small, should not be 

 cut off; but we would certainly leave all branches on pines or 

 firs to decay off of themselves. If, in the case of deciduous 

 trees, 



" Any branches that were left at a former pruning low on the stem 

 appear, at the next repetition of the process, not to have increased in size, 

 we may safely conclude that they have had no influence on the tree, either 

 good or bad ; and as it would be in vain to leave them with the hope that 

 they will any longer assist in the elaboration of the sap, they should be 

 removed, as unsightlv objects, which it is no longer useful to preserve." 

 (p. 168.) 



In removing a branch, he cuts close to the stem, without 

 leaving any stump ; using knives of various sizes, a chisel, and 

 a saw, always kept sharp, and in good order. " On no pre- 

 tence whatever should bills and axes be employed." They 

 make rough, unsightly wounds, and injure the bark on the 

 stem. Pruning ought to commence in the nursery, if the 

 plants remain there more than four years ; and, at whatever 

 age they are removed to their final destination, pruning should 

 never be delayed longer than five years afterwards. " When 

 many branches require to be displaced at once, it may always 

 be taken for granted that the tree has sustained considerable 

 damage from some of them not having been removed sooner ; 

 and, when we have to do with a large plantation, if we wait 

 till the most backward of the trees stand in need of priming, 

 we may assure ourselves that the more forward ones have 

 suffered severely from the want of it." (p. 171.) 



Pruning ought to be repeated every two years, and per- 

 severed in as long as a tree is in a growing state. Summer 

 pruning has been strongly recommended, but the author has 

 not had much experience of its good or bad effects. 



Th inning, to be useful, should be applied early. " The 

 best rule, and one, perhaps, that may be regarded as entirely 



