Creis System of Pruning Tor est Trees. 441 



some manner or other, which, if not pruning, must be held to be 

 very nearly allied to it. 



Mr. Matthew then states that my system of pruning "will 

 never ultimately increase the size of the tree, or its measurable 

 timber ; but, on the contrary, will greatly retard the extension, 

 and destroy the capacity to attain a large size, and in many kinds 

 will even induce early decay; the lower branches more particu- 

 larly promoting the enlargement of the roots." This can only 

 take place with his solitary trees, hedgerows, outsides of clumps, 

 and skirts of woods, and from a different cause than that which 

 he assigns. Wherever trees are of the same age, and of a large 

 size, it will be found, that the shorter the stem is, the circum- 

 ference is the greater ; but that does not show that the quantity 

 of timber is greater. For many years after trees have attained 

 their utmost height, they increase in circumference. To exem- 

 plify what I state. In 1829, I measured within the area of ten 

 falls, situate at an altitude of 780 ft., ten different kinds of trees, 

 fourteen years after having been planted ; and their average 

 height was 18 ft. 9 in. ; their clean stem was 3 ft. 8 in. ; and their 

 circumference, at 6 in. above the surface, was 14 in. and 3 parts. 

 I also measured four beech trees in the south end of a hedgerow, 

 at the same altitude, planted in 1742 by my grandfather, and 

 the lands have been in the possession of the family ever since, 

 the average height of which trees was 72 ft., the clean trunk 

 28 ft. 6 in., and the average circumference for timber measure 



6 ft. 4 in., which gives 95 cubic feet of timber to each tree. This 

 shows the proportions of the height to the circumference of 

 young and old trees. The young trees are 18| ft. in height, to 

 \^\ in. in circumference; the old trees are 72 ft. in height, to the 

 average circumference, at 4 ft. in height, of 86 in., which shows 

 that young trees exceed in height in feet their circumference in 

 inches ; and when of age, the circumference in inches exceeds 

 the height in feet. And further, a tree 10 ft. in length of trunk 

 requires 12 ft. 4 in. ; 20 fto in length. 8 ft. 9 in. ; 30 ft. in length, 



7 ft. 2 in. ; 40 ft. in length, 6 ft. 2 in., in circumference, to contain 

 95 cubic feet nearly. By a careful inspection of old trees, it will 

 be found, that, in proportion to the height of clean trunk and 

 head, the greater number of cubic feet will the tree contain in 

 the same number of years. 



Mr. Matthew's criticism on my article will be pretty well illus- 

 trated by the following, amongst others of his paragraphs. " His 

 early pruning," says he, " on the contrary, disposing the re- 

 maining branches to push as leaders, to become, in proportion 

 to their diminished number, larger ; thus rendering the upper 

 part of the trunk rough timber, and also deterring the root ex- 

 tension, is on a par with the worst of systems." Had Mr. 

 Matthew taken the trouble to read my essay with any attention, 



