122 



THE CANADIAN FORESTEr's 



mistake that some people commit in gathering the fallen 

 leaves every autumn. In many works on agriculture, a 

 regular system of collecting the leaves is advised, for the 

 purpose af making manure, serving as litter, or as cattle- 

 food. A greater error cannob be committed. The soil 

 which grows the trees demands, as does cultivated land, 

 something in return for what it yields. Now the only 

 supplies the soil of the forest receives are those given by 

 nature, namely, the leaves, and these, decomposing on 



108. — How to gut off 

 large branches. 



107.— Wound healed over. 



its surface, furnish it with the elements of food assi- 

 milated by the trees it bears. Do not then deprive the 

 forest of its leaves. 



Conifers should absolutely never be pruned, except in 

 case of accidents, particularly the lower branches ; to 

 cut these off Spoils the symmetry of the tree, and is, 

 besides, highly injurious to their growth. 



A very severe system of pruning is practised on 

 willows. It consists in cutting off all the larger 

 branches at ten or twelve inches from the main trunk. 

 This is done every two or three years, and the branches, 

 when dry, furnish a by no means despicable summer 



