PRUNING FIR-TREES. ] 5^ 



Fig!i 2. Section C. Another instance of improper cut- Bad pruning. 

 ting. 



If it had been cut at ® , the timber would have been more 

 valuable. 



Section D. This before cutting exhibited a healthy bough, 

 and the section shows it the same, exhibiting a live knot. 

 This specimen clearly shows the progress of nature in healthy 

 boughs ; it also shows the great impropriety of suffering such 

 boughs to exist more than 5 or 6 years, at which age had it 

 been cut off, instead of a knot and great defect there would 

 have been clean wood from © to the outside. 



Fig. 3. Section E. Another striking proof of the impro- 

 priety of long cut boughs, a dead knot of many years stand- 

 ing, but far from being enclosed now, admitting wet into the 

 heart of the tree : it should have been cut at ®. 



Fig. 4. Part of another Scotch fir. 

 . Section F. A very striking proof of young and bad prun- 

 ing. This bough was cut at 4 years growth, and now, after 

 IS years accumulation of the trunk, remaining uncovered, 

 and would so have remained many years longer. 



Section G. A bough which, whilst standing, appeared not 

 vigorous or healthy; the section shows that at 6 years it was 

 in decline, and after that increased very little, though its in- 

 crease may be distinctly traced to the present time. 



This should years ago have been cut off. 



Fig. 5. A very complete specimen of good pruning, though Instance of 

 much too late. S ood P"«"ng. 



Section H. A large bough cut off at 6 years growth, but 

 so close cut, that in 4 years afterwards the wood on the trunk 

 of the tree is arrived at the extremity of the knot. 



Fig. 6. and 7. Parts of a Weymouth Pine Fir, 31 years Wood left to 

 growth, a most striking specimen, and complete refutation ilself - 

 to the doctrine of those who contend that the best way is to 

 leave plantations to prune themselves. This tree grew near 

 the outside of a thick plantation securely fenced, and in a 

 state of nature at the time it was felled, except some acci- 

 dental breaking off a few boughs near the bottom of the tree. 

 Before it was felled it indicated sickness by the foliage, but 

 from what cause it was so, no trace appeared, as the trunk 

 bore a very healthy appearance. The section shows, by the 



small 



