200 



INTERMEDIATE CUTTINGS 



given. The pruning was done between the 1916 and 1917 

 growing seasons. 



FiGtTRES OF Height Growth to Show Effects of Pruning 



The pruning was done in a plantation spaced 6x6 feet 

 after its eighth growing season. The main stand ranged 

 from 6 to 12 feet in height and had not completely closed. 

 The branches clear to the base of the trees were still alive. 

 All but the last three and in a few cases the last two whorls 

 of live branches were removed, reducing the crown by about 

 50 per cent. As a result of this very severe pruning the 

 height growth of the pruned trees decreased approximately 

 one-third. 



Pruning of live limbs to a limited extent (for not over 

 10 per cent of the depth of the live crowns) is not likely to have 

 injurious effects, if done in young stands when the branches 

 are smaU. 



Pnming should not be extended to all the trees in the 

 stand, but only to the relatively small number of the best 

 dominant trees which will form the final crop. It is an 

 improfitable investment to prime trees which will die a nat- 

 ural death or be removed before the end of the rotation. 

 The number selected for pruning is likely to fall between 100 

 and 200 trees per acre. 



Pnming becomes more expensive as it is carried higher up 

 the tree, because the trees either have to be climbed or the 



