396 PRUNING FOR TIMBER. 



Emaciation is the consequence in both cases ; it is indicated in 

 animals by leanness and debility; in plants, by the loss of 

 woody texture, or timber. But a plant has not a single 

 stomach, as an animal has ; it is covered with stomachs in the 

 form of leaves, every one of which performs its part in the 

 action of digestion, and so contributes something to the 

 formation of wood. (See page 72.) Although out of the 

 millions of leaves that clothe a tree many may be destroyed, 

 and no appreciable diminution of the wood be remarked, yet it 

 is certain that some diminution takes place ; when the destruc- 

 tion of leaves is excessive, the diminution will be excessive 

 also. We should be a long time emptying a fish-pond with a 

 tea-spoon ; but in time we should succeed ; and the only efiect 

 of using a pump for the purpose would be to accelerate the 

 operation. 



Pruning is nothing less than the removal of leaves. To cut 

 off a branch ia summer is evidently so ; and if the branch is 

 naked still its removal is the destruction of the part from 

 which leaves would have been produced had it been permitted 

 to remain. The effect of violent pruning, as illustrated by 

 Pontey's barbarous method of trimming trees into poles is now 

 notorious ; it shows the consequences attendant upon pruning 

 trees excessively. Upon less pruning less evil results; but 

 the difference is only one of degree. 



Prune not at all — should therefore be the maxim of a 

 forester. Plant thickly, thin constantly, stop carefully, and 

 leave the rest to nature. But unfortunately it does not happen 

 that he who plants well always thins constantly; it is still 

 more rare that stopping is thought of, and so a maxim, one of 

 the soundest in the whole system of foresting, cannot be 

 observed. Hence pruning may be regarded as a necessary 

 evil, to which the wise must submit because of the ignorant ; 

 the careful to cure the evils inflicted by the careless. 



Stopping consists in destroying the point or last buds of a 

 branch while young and in process of formation ; the finger and 

 thumb can perform the operation without aid. Pruning is the 

 removal of a branch already formed, and must be executed 

 with a cutting instrument. Stopping prevents the formation of 



