Management of Timber Trees. 681 



Art. XIII. On Pruning, and other Points in the Management of 

 Timber Trees. By W. T. 



Sir, 



By this time, I suppose, the authors of the two books lately 

 published on arboriculture (one at 21s., the other at 12s.) are 

 aware that they have not given the public much new on the 

 subject Avhich they undertook to illustrate : at least, those who 

 have added to their own practical experience an acquaintance 

 with the works of the scientific and professional writers on 

 tree culture, will not be easily convinced that they have derived 

 much information from the books alluded to. However, these 

 books, in common with others, will be the means of raising a 

 spirit of enquiry and investigation in this hitherto partly ne- 

 glected branch of culture. 



Gardeners, in general, are now not so ignorant in horti- 

 cultural chemistry and vegetable physiology as some would 

 imagine. Many gardeners, I trust, will join me in saying that 

 we are much indebted to the Encyclopaedia of Gardening, in 

 which we have the essence of the best writers on all points of 

 importance, both within and " without the garden walls." At 

 the same time, it must be admitted that there are some gar- 

 deners who think arboriculture below their notice ; others, 

 perhaps, know more than they are allowed to put in practice. 

 It is but fair that he who pays the piper should make him play 

 as he pleases : notwithstanding, if the piper can play better, 

 he should beg to be heard ; and, after having given proof that 

 he does not overrate his abilities, it is likely he will be al- 

 lowed to go on in his own way. 



I have had some experience, during the last 17 years, in 

 planting and transplanting trees, from a two-years Scotch pine 

 up to a tree a foot in diameter. Most of the transplanted trees 

 have done tolerably well, and I approve of transplantation in 

 some cases : but my opinion is, that transplanting a tree after 

 it is, say, four or five years old dwarfs it more or less, and 

 also tends to bring some species too soon into a bearing state. 

 This, in a great measure, can be obviated by picking off the 

 blossom, trenching, pulverising, and rectifying the soil at the 

 extremity of the roots. A tree which has been transplanted 

 can be more safely transplanted again ; but will such a tree, 

 with its numerous matted roots, extend as far in search of 

 nutriment as, and become equal in magnitude to, a tree either 

 planted young, or sown or grown on the spot ? 



The rules for pruning given in your review of Cruickshank's 

 book are excellent. Sylvanus and Agronome seem to differ 

 much in opinion on that point. In thinning a plantation of 



