THE CARE OF 'YOUSra PLANTATIONS. 115 



3. Removal of large branches. 



The removal of the large brandies of trees, which have 

 been retained and left to increase in growth, is seldom 

 needed in the management of forests, as in properly 

 kept forests the density of the trees forces them to follow 

 the light and sun, and grow up in height, thereby keep- 

 ing back the branches, which, by the increasing shade 

 from the tops of the yonng trees, gxadually drop 

 off. In this way the trunks of trees in the high forests 

 become clear of knots and attain the form so valuable in 

 lumber and timber. Wherever large branches appear on 

 forest trees a defective position of the trunks has been 

 the cause. To remove such branches will seldom be 

 worth while, except in very valuable trunks the value 

 of which may sometimes be increased by the removal; and 

 when room is wanted to enable young trees, growing in 

 the shade of larger ones, to increase in growth. The re- 

 moval of such branches becomes necessary when in so- 

 called middle forests trees are left overgrown to attain a 

 greater height. In such a forest each of those large 

 trees grows up more or less separated, pushes out its 

 branches laterally, and when not properly attended to, 

 forms less [useful] wood in trunk and stem, and more 

 in the useless branches. Moreover, these branches have^ 

 a damaging effect upon the sprouts of the cut stock 

 growing under them by shadowing and preventing their 

 vigorous growth; and for this reason they frequently have 

 tp be removed. 



In removing a large branch from a tree, we must first 

 endeavor to minimize as much as possible the extent of 

 the wound ; especially we must avoid causing a split in 

 the bark remaining on the tree. In order to attain this 

 we should not cut the branch in one cut, but m;ike first 

 an incision underneath, about twelve inches beyond tlie 

 place where the branch is to be cut off, then saw entirely 

 through the branch about one inch further outward, and 



