S 8 2 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [January 2, 1882. 
On pruning forest trees, Mr. Grigor has much to 
say which must interest cinchona planters : 
The utility of pruning hardwood trees is generally 
admitted by experienced and practical men. It is 
sometimes denied by those who have witnessed the 
bad effects of an improper system, such as carpenters, 
and mechanics, who readily discover the evil resulting 
from the "lopping and boughing " of a bad system, 
while they are unacquainted with the advantages of 
early and judicioas pruning, which leaves no mark 
ou the future bole, but directs it early into the 
figure most valuable as timber, and in some cases 
its effect on the individual tree may be compared 
to that of the judicious thinning of a plantation, as 
it directs the energies of the soil to the growth of one 
trunk instead of a number of smaller ones. Theorists 
also sometimes deny the use of pruning, overlooking 
the frequent necessity of directing the growth of the 
trunk in the way most suitable for mechanical pur- 
poses, and they contend, on physiological principles, for 
bulk, through the agency of leaves. Although pruning 
does not in ordinary cases ultimately increase the 
bulk or weight of wood, yet trees which are early and 
judiciously pruned will be improved in quality, increased 
in their useful dimensions, and ultimate value, and will 
grow in greater numbers on a given space.* * * 
With respect to hardwood trees generally, in some 
situations the necessity of pruning may be in a great 
measure obviated by close planting and timely thin- 
ning. These means are generally most effectual in 
producing straight and well-grown timber of every 
species. Where young trees stand moderately close, 
their leading shoot, which is to form the future bole 
of the tree^ is guided upwards by its own natural 
efforts, and as the lateral branches of the one press 
gently on those of the others all round, they are pre- 
vented from acquiring an undue strength, and ultimately 
disappear, leaving straight and clean trunks, which are 
always of most value, except in the case of oak timber 
for shipbuilding, which should form an exception from 
the ordinary mode of treatment, as will be noticed in 
the sequel. 
All experienced foresters agree that the most bene, 
ficial pruning is that which begins early, doing little 
at a time, but. repeating the operation frequently, and 
directing the ascendancy of the leading shoot till the 
stem of the tree has acquired a proper fcrm. When 
trees in a young plantation have produced three, or, 
very thriving, two years' growth, pruning should be 
commenced. The pruning-knife is the most suitable 
implement, and where the work is early and frequently 
attended to no other implement is required during the 
whole progress of forest pruning. 
The top is the principal part of the plant that re- 
quires attention, in order that only one Bhoot may 
be allowed to remain as a leader, the others next in size, 
if not very inferior, should be headed down to about 
one-half their length, and all the stoutest lateral 
branches shortened in the same manner. None of these 
branches need be cut close to the stem, and if the 
plantation is moderately close this will be all that they 
require, as they will get enfeebled and fall away ; 
but in more open and airy situations those lateral 
branches which were shortened may be in four or five 
years removed close lo the stem, before they are 
beyond the size of being cut off by the pruning-knifc. 
Young plantations should be gone over every second 
year, until the stems of the trees have acquired a 
proper form, having an eye to a sufficient girth in 
proportion to the height, which girth is promoted 
chiefly by side branches, at the same time bearing in 
mind that next in importance to keeping the tree in 
(igure should be the preservation of the 
greatett quantity of its foliage. It is the general rule 
to shorten the branch likely to gain an ascendancy 
over the leading shoot ; but if the leading shoot is 
weak, stunted, or unhealthy, it is sometimes of advant- 
age to remove it, an<l prefer the more vigorous one, 
which through the flow of sap will readily become 
straight and in proper form. A few years after hard- 
wood plants are planted, it so r etimes happens that 
some of them are found stunted and making no pro- 
gress ; and in the case of oak, elm, or ash, young 
shoots frequently appear at the surface of the ground. 
This is sometimes occasioned by the roots being too 
bare, or deetitn'e of a sufficient supply of young fibres, 
or from their exposure to the weather in planting, 
or subsequent drought, etc. In such cases the plant 
should be lopped over at the surface, or just above the 
most vigorous shoot, which should be retained for the 
future tree, and the other suckers should be pruned 
off. The lopping of mch plants should be performed 
with a sharp knife by a practised hand, so that the 
operation may be ma le without disturbing or strain- 
ing the root of the plant. It is a common error in 
the management of plantations to clear the stems of 
all side-branches to a certain height at tbe first pruning, 
and afterwards to operate only on the under branches 
of the tree. This tends to produce a small trunk, 
an irregular top, and side branches more vigor- 
ous than the leader. When this is practised in 
exposed places, not one in a hundred ever becomes 
a large or valuable tree. Were pruning altogether 
abandoned, trees of fifty years' standing would generally 
be of more value, rough, knotty, and forked as a 
great part of the timber would be, than those sub- 
jected to such an injurious method. 
It is in hedgerows and other open situations, where 
trees are apt to ramify into an unprofitable figure, 
that pruning is of the greatest value ; but even in 
such situations it is not necessary to shorten all the 
branches previously to their being removed from the 
trunk, though it is to be recommended in dealing 
with all luxuriant branches, particularly near the top 
shoot, and in checking such throughout the tree ; 
the progress of such being impeded in a greater or 
less degree in proportion to the distance from their 
extremities at which they are cut. When trees have 
advanced from ten to fourteen feet, the oldest and 
stoutest branches (previously shortened) may then be 
removed from the stem. Sometimes the small pruning 
saw is employed as the most efficient implement, ob- 
serving that at the junction of each branch to the 
stem there is a swell or bulge, and tbe branch should 
be removed close to the outside of it, at which point 
the diameter is not so great as at the very bottom, 
consequently a much smaller wound is occasioned, and 
sooner healed. When plantations are closely attended 
to, however, the pruning. saw is seldom required. The 
knife is the safest implement; its wounds heal most 
readily, and where the branches are sufficiently checked 
by being shortened they do not acquire a diameter 
beyond its power. When trees are from fourteen to 
twenty-five feet in height, or from twelve to twenty 
years of age, they generally advance very rapidly, and 
if not standing close in a plantation, admit of more 
pruning than at any other period ; but under any 
circumstances tree? are much injured by being severely 
pruned ; for, as already stated, pruning is only of 
much advantage when performed early in those side 
branches which are apt to bear too great a proportion 
to the leading branch, thereby modifying the tree aud 
directing its energies gradually to the top, preserving 
at the same time a sufficient quantity of foliage. All 
young hardwood trees should have tops long in pro- 
portion to their height. A good proportion in a tree 
of thirty feet in height is twenty feet of top to ten 
feet of bare trunk ; but no given rule in this respect 
can be exacted for all sorts, as a longer top is 
requisite in a rough exposure and in poor soil than 
