Trees for Timber. 379 



nurses ; the second is of still greater importance, as a plant grow- 

 ing freely for the first twenty years is sure to give a greater length 

 of stem than one that is stunted ; as we find that those subjects, 

 both in the animal and vegetable creation, generally arrive at 

 the greatest perfection, which are well supplied with nourishment 

 in their early state. Although timber may be harder and closer 

 in the grain by a slow growth, and well suited for many pur- 

 poses in common life ; yet it is only on soils and situations that 

 are favourable to free growth, that we can obtain trees of suffi- 

 ciently large dimensions to be suitable for the various purposes 

 of civil and naval architecture. 



In every case, then, for the rearing of the best sorts of deci- 

 duous forest trees, a preparation of the soil, by trenching, is to 

 be preferred where practicable ; and the liberal use of the hoe, 

 and even shallow digging in the winter, for three or four years 

 after planting, will much benefit the plants : at the end of which 

 period, if the plantation has gone on well, these may be discon- 

 tinued, as the trees will then nearly meet. It is to be understood 

 that the plants are to be put in about 4 ft. apart, and not less 

 than 3 ft., according to soil and situation. 



Pruning will next become necessary : but here, as in the case 

 of preparation of the soil, men are divided in their opinions, 

 some recommending one mode, and some another ; but all con- 

 curring in this, that the object aimed at is, to obtain tall, clean, 

 and sound timber ; and, certainly, no object is of greater import- 

 ance to the interests of this kingdom. 



The barbarous practice of cutting to within 1 ft., or less, of the 

 bole, leaving stumps or snags, is now nearly exploded in theory ; 

 yet it is grievous to see that it is still too commonly practised in 

 most parts of the kingdom, to the no small injury of the timber : 

 so difficult is it to get out of established habits, even when these 

 are known to be pernicious. The present observations may, then, 

 be limited to an enquiry as to the comparative merits of the close 

 pruning and the foreshortening methods ; or whether both may 

 not be blended together in practice, according to circumstances, 

 in order to obtain tall stems as free from knots and other defects 

 as the case will admit of, in conjunction with the health of the 

 plant and the object of prolonging its growth to the longest 

 possible period. 



It may be observed here, that no branch, from the size of the 

 finger upwards, can be severed from the trunk without a pro- 

 portionate injury being sustained; decay to where the branch first 

 had its origin being the certain consequence of removal : con- 

 sequently, the larger the branch is at the time of pruning, 

 the greater will be the injury sustained by the timber. This 

 may be verified by inspection of the growing subject, even when 

 the wound has been healed over for a few years, by boring into 



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