BENEFITS OF PRUNING. 247 



themselves ; thus a tendency is created to overbalance 

 the tree by an excessive weight of branches and foliage 

 on one side. A tree thus unequally balanced increases 

 in woody matter on that side to which it inclines, and 

 this evil is increased as the tree advances in size. 

 This seemingly unimportant circumstance, which com- 

 menced in a disproportionately large branch, soon 

 becomes magnified to such an extent as to terminate 

 in very mischievous results. A reclining tree occupies 

 much more space than an upright one does ; it is more 

 subject to be loaded and broken down with snow ; it 

 is unequally rooted on opposite sides, consequently 

 more liable to be blown down with winds ; and the 

 annual layers of wood being much thicker upon the 

 under than upon the upper side of the tree, the 

 timber manufactured from such trees twists and warps 

 in such a manner as to render it useless for many 

 important purposes — therefore the necessity of prun- 

 ing in order to properly balance the tree and produce 

 timber of good quality. 



It sometimes happens, from the weight of fruit or 

 foliage upon a horizontal branch, from lodgment of 

 snow, or some other cause, that a branch or limb is so 

 bent down as to rest upon another below it, and, from 

 the friction by the wind, the two branches are rubbed 

 upon each other, producing wild irritating sounds and 

 mutually disfiguring each other. During heavy falls 

 of snow we have seen many noble trees thus all but 

 totally destroyed, which, by timely attention to the 

 removal of such branches, might have been entirely 

 prevented. 



Pruning as a branch of forestry is not in general 

 uniformly well directed, and as seldom well performed. 

 Upon some estates it is altogether neglected and its 



