EXECUTION OP PRECEDING OPERATIONS. 469 



and long-handled shears (Fig 116). and the forester's pruning 

 knife Fig. 121), the last two wherethere is not enough room to 

 wield an axe or bill-hook. 



(iii) For cutting up to the height of one's head, light axes and 

 bill-hooks, and pruning knives (Fig. US'). 



(iv) For pruning and lopping, axe^, pruning bills (Fig. 127) 

 and special saws (Fig. 110 and 111). 



The best time to undertake the various operations is generally 

 the beginning of the season of vegetation, when both the vigour of 

 the plants and the extent to which they can injure or be injured can 

 be most easily recognised. Plants relieved of any hindrance to 

 their growth at this time have before them the entire season for 

 their unchecked development. But as it is not always possible or 

 convenient to carry out such a vast amount of work within the 

 few days during which the plants are preparing to put forth their 

 vigour, it may be allowed to go on all the year round, but more 

 especially during the peiiod from April to December in places 

 where frosts occur. 



SECTION IV. 



Fostering operations in an advanced crop. 



If the work described injihe preceding Sections has been well 

 done, the crop will not only have become thoroughly established, 

 but will also have been formed and moulded in a general manner 

 on the lines on which it should grow up. All subsequent opera- 

 tions will have for their principal object the completion, in a 

 special manner, of this work by giving to the stronger individuals, 

 selected in accordance with both cultural and economical exigen- 

 cies, the increasing growing-room they constantly require. This 

 growing-room may be afforded gradually to all the more promis- 

 ing individuals of the crop in view of the prosperous vegetation 

 and growth of the crop as a whole, or it may be given in conspi- 

 cuously liberal measure and hy large instalments at a time to a few 

 of the best and most valuable trees the growth of which it is de- 

 sired to force. We have thus two distinct kind of Thinnings, 

 which we may qualify respectively as oedinaet and plenary. 

 We may also have to employ direct measures to correct defects in 

 the shape and length of the boles of trees or to restrict their 

 crowns in certain directions. These measures are pbuning and 

 lopping. 



