454- Crces System of Prwiing Forest Trees. 



leaving snags. In the elm, Scotch fir, and many other trees of 

 considerable size, an effort is made by the tree to cover over the 

 snag long before the annual growth of the wood arrives at this 

 magnitude ; the consequence of which is, that a large knot in the 

 wood is formed, thus defeating one of the principal objects which 

 it is the province of pruning to accomplish. IBut another evil 

 consequent upon this practice, where no effort is made by the tree 

 to cover it until the annual increase of the alburnum circles shall 

 have done so, is, that the snag, in resinous trees in particular, is 

 always liable to bleed until it is cicatrised ; or, where the snag has 

 lost its vitality, it soon becomes liable to rot. From this latter 

 circumstance, the danger is apparent of often finding large trees 

 when cut down, though apparently sound on the outside, rotted 

 in the interior. Such is frequently the case with snags even in 

 middle-sized trees. When large branches, too, are amputated 

 from old trees, before the growth of the tree can cover the part 

 it has become rotted; and, by exposure to the atmosphere, 

 moisture is carried down the pith of the tree, which commences 

 the work of decomposition, spreading to the adjoining parts of 

 the wood. 



Thus, I think, I have shown that the system of leaving snags 

 is a bad one. And I may add that I have pruned, or seen 

 pruned, almost all kinds of trees both with and without snags; 

 but I invariably found that those which were pruned close to 

 the stem healed soonest over, and altogether gave the greatest 

 satisfaction. 



Some have recommended not to prune the pine tribe till the 

 branches have become dead. From what I have stated regard- 

 ing the impropriety of leaving snags, and the danger attending 

 it when there is no vitality in the part, it will at once be in- 

 ferred, that I recommend all branches to be removed before 

 they are dead. But where dead branches are found to exist on 

 any kind of tree, they cannot be too soon removed ; and, for this 

 reason, even fir plantations, which, when thick, are generally 

 self-pruned, would be greatly benefited by the interference of 

 the pruner. 



With regard to the proper season for shortening and cutting 

 off the branches, I conceive, that after the fall of the leaf in 

 autumn is the best period for shortening the branches, except 

 the gean, which should be shortened in August or September. 

 I have made many experiments in order to ascertain the proper 

 period for pruning or cutting off the branches. I have per- 

 formed it in March, May, June, July, and other periods of 

 summer, and in autumn ; but I always found that the earlier 

 in spring the pruning was performed, the part was the sooner 

 cicatrised, and the tree did so much the better afterwards. 

 This I found to be the best period for trees in general. But 



