178 MANAGEMENT OF WOODS. 



that requires some care. As they will be large and 

 weighty in comparison of those intended to remain, 

 if they be allowed to fall on the latter, much da- 

 mage will be the consequence ; and I have seen very 

 promising deciduous trees almost ruined in this way. 

 The best method that I know of preventing mis- 

 chief, will be to adopt the following artifice : — 



Let the persons employed in felling be provided 

 with a strong rope, and a ladder to assist them in 

 climbing. Let the middle of this rope be fixed at 

 such a height in the top of the tree intended to be 

 cut down that the weight of the part below may 

 considerably exceed that of the part where it is 

 made fast. The ends of the rope are then to be 

 tied firmly round the trunk of some one of the 

 neighbouring trees to windward. By this contri- 

 vancCj the tree which has the rope fixed amongst 

 its branches, will, when cut through, instead of fall- 

 ing to the ground, remain suspended, and may be 

 easily guyed to whatever side may be requisite to 

 keep it from injuring any of its neighbours in com- 

 ing down. The rope being then untied, the tree 

 will prostrate itself harmlessly on the earth. 



If the tree about whose trunk the rope is fastened 

 be one of those intended to remain, it will be neces- 

 sary to take some means of preventing injury to the 



