62 TREE CULTUEE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 



ment in the planting operations, and to this, no doubt, the branchy and 

 spreading habits of the trees may be traced. When trees are planted 

 in congenial soil, and only such put out on any particular site as are 

 known to be suited to its general condition, pruning to any great extent 

 will seldom be required. From this small matter alone, therefore, it will 

 be seen how absolutely necessary it is that the planter should be thoroughly 

 up in his work, so that in the formation of plantations the young trees 

 may be inserted in such sites, and under such special conditions as will 

 leave no doubt as to their general vigor and success, without much 

 attention and care. 



As a rule, it is unsafe to cut off a branch close to the stem of a size 

 larger than from 3in. to 4in. in diameter ; and even when this is done, 

 the tree should be in good health and have a stem at least ten times the 

 girth of the branch so operated on. 



As a rule, it may be considered that the best season of the year for 

 close pruning is from about the middle of summer to the beginning of 

 autumn. However, for such operations as shortening only, this may be 

 done at aU seasons of the year with perfect safety. 



A tree should never be stripped clean of its branches for the greater 

 part of its height, leaving only a small tuft of branches on the top. This 

 of course can be done with greater liberty where the trees are thick 

 upon the ground and well sheltered, but as a rule every tree ought to 

 be well-proportioned in its branches to the length of its stem. About one- 

 third branches and two-thirds clean stem, is the right proportion where 

 trees have been pruned. Heavy heads are also objectionable, as these 

 often produce inferior timber by wind-shakes. 



Every grower of trees should be aware of this — ^that "the finest-grained 

 timber is that upon which no lateral branches are allowed to attain a 

 large size." This is a fact which, if carefully thought over and studied, 

 will of itself teach one more in regard to what proper pruning admits 

 of than a whole volume written upon the subject. 



Figures 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 show some of the 

 tools required for pruning purposes. These will explain themselves and 

 require no description. 



In Fig. 38 I show a tree of our natural forests as the young growth 

 comes up and is left to nature, and in Fig. 39 is represented the same 

 tree arrived at maturity. Again, in Fig. 40 I give the same growth 

 pruned and cared for, and in Fig. 41 what it may be expected to 

 arrive at at the same period after this attention. This is no exaggerated 

 picture, but is perfectly truthful, and goes to show how important the 

 operation of pruning is if properly applied. 



