Jane 30, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
467 
“ fpiME and continuity are great tests of friendship, and these 
X tests trees ■will bear, for flowers soon wither, die down, 
perish ; but trees are more constant, they abide by us always, 
they are neighbours, I might almost say, for ever.” This passage, 
from an eloquent American writer, will find an answering echo 
in many minds. Trees are interwoven in his thoughts, as they 
were in those of bis famous contemporary Ward Beecher, with 
other sentiments than those of casual admiration for stately form, 
spreading growth, and noble leafage. The companionship of 
trees is more powerful, if more subtle, than that of men, and 
the story of the German maiden whose exile from her home in 
the Black Forest made life a burden too heavy to be borne has 
a pathos far greater to tree-lovers than to those for whom trees, 
like Wordsworth’s Primrcse, are trees “and nothing more.” To 
her, as to the greatest preacher of his time, they spoke with no 
uncertain voice, and to the latter at least they prompted the 
clothing of lofty thoughts in language of which the beauty 
and power spread potent influences far beyond the confines of 
his native land. 
But in their purely ornamental aspects trees may well inspire 
more than occasional comment. Sylvan beauty is too changeful 
for that to suffice. In the tender green of springtime, the 
deeper hue of summer, and the mellow tints of autumn maturity 
they have phases that demand separate contemplation, for there 
is beauty in them all. Admiration is by no means withheld 
from them, but it may be doubted whether their true value is 
generally realised. Even in small gardens, and when of limited 
dimensions, they hold a place that nothing else could fill, while 
with more spacious surroundings and in full stature their effect 
is satisfying and imposing. The noble specimens that are met 
with in thousands of British parks and gardens should have 
their varying phases watched with appreciation, and not only 
should they be cherished as great factors in securing natural 
beauty, but perfect specimens should be utilised as models by 
which successors may be reared up for the gratification of future 
generations. 
In going from place to place one cannot but be struck by the 
ground that exists for Mr. Thiselton Dyer’s complaint, in the 
admirable lecture he delivered at the last meeting of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, that tree management does not receive any¬ 
thing like the attention it deserves. Fruit bushes may be excellent 
illustrations of skilful treatment, being well trained, clean, and 
with every inducement to healthy growth, hut park trees are 
simply allowed to take their chance. With growth untrimmed 
and unguided, wounds left to heal as best they may, and fungi 
unchecked, there is little cause for wonder that so many promising 
specimens are lost or spoiled. It is well that the task of stimulat¬ 
ing reclamation has been undertaken by one who from practical 
knowledge, close sympathy, and the weight of an authoritative 
position is so well qualified to secure success. If his words are 
noted as widely as they may reasonably be expected to be great 
good will be effected, and as a means to spreading the lessons he 
wishes to convey the main points of his lecture are drawn 
prominent attention to in the Journal of Horticulture. 
One of the commonest fallacies in tree management, we 
were reminded, is that to secure noble specimens isolated planting 
No. 627. —VoL. XXIV., Third Serie.s. 
must be resorted to. In the greater part of the Kew woods the 
trees are remarkably fine, although the soil is sterile, and this 
Mr. Dyer attributes to tbe plan of thick planting and progressive 
thinning-out that was adopted. The fine timber observable in 
many country places was also, he thought, due to extensive 
removals. Where isolated planting was practised artificial treat¬ 
ment would have to be resorted to. The point is one of consi¬ 
derable moment, and many would have been glad to hear a full 
exposition of the lecturer’s reasons for the course recommended 
had time permitted him to give it. It is probable that one consi¬ 
deration he had in view in advocating thick planting was the 
importance of shelter for the trees while in a young state, the 
c'noicest specimens of a clump being protected by their companions 
from the effects of heavy winds ; but it need hardly be pointed 
out that unless the necessity for prompt and adequate thinning is 
clearly grasped greater evils may accrue than might be expected 
from exposure. With young trees crowding each other, and 
struggling for light and air, we should have a repetition on a large 
scale of the melancholy sight often presented by garden beds of 
seedlings when thinning has been neglected. 
So largely does the beauty of a park tree depend upon its form 
that the prominence given to this portion of his subject by Mr. 
Dyer was more than justified. What we want first of all in a per¬ 
fect specimen is, he thinks, height, but this is often sacrificed 
through the want of a little judicious management. He illus¬ 
trated two forms of tree—the ideal, with its straight, well-propor¬ 
tioned bole rising evenly, tapering to a great height, with branches 
well distributed and not too long, and the moss-like or Cabbage¬ 
headed tree, which is in reality a huge bush and not a tree at all. 
The former is elastic and there is no tendency to fracture from 
the effects of rough winds, but the latter is very liable to injury 
from the wind and snow, the loss of the leader (if there is one) 
often ensuing. He drew attention to the fact that pollards often 
present fine boles, and the foundation was so good that had the 
leaders been allowed to go up instead of being cut good trees 
would be formed. In forked trees there were the disadvantages of 
the Cabbage-headed form. There were no elements of permanence 
in them. If seized by a gale the strain on one fork was so enor¬ 
mous that a split often occurred and the elements of decay found 
admission. 
Is the contrast here set forth exaggerated ? Everyone will 
admit that it is not, and that the Director of Kew has supported 
himself by correct observation. The remedy, however, is simple. 
The evils pointed out arise mainly from the excessive growth 
of the lateral branches, these robbing the leader of support, and 
the remedy consists in shortening these laterals before the tree has 
developed. A more pyramidal habit is thus secured. He has 
found the plan recommended thoroughly effectual. With strong 
laterals there was a dwarf puny growth on the part of the leader, 
but when, by shortening the laterals, the former was once got up 
these gave little further trouble. Trees so treated had, he said, 
added a third to their height in a season. It will be observed that 
Mr. Dyer confines himself to a recommendation of shortening in 
the early stage of the tree, and guards against any suggestion of 
systematic annual pruning, being no doubt fully cognisant of the 
fact that this would tend to a multiplication of small growths 
and an undesirable severity of form. The moral of his teaching 
is. Use the knife until the leader is in fair progress, then cease 
pruning, and allow natural development to take place. The system 
of pruning recommended had, he said, been found to obviate the 
necessity of staking by Mr. Waterer. 
Yarious plans are resorted to for protecting'trees from the 
attacks of horses and cattle, and Mr. Dyer drew attention to a 
very simple one that had been pointed out to him. It consisted 
in spreading metal used for road repairing loosely round the trees, 
and so great a dislike have cattle to the rough surface that they 
would not attempt to pass across it. Those who have had trees 
No. 2283.— VoL. LXXXVI., Old Series. 
