146 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
[Part IT. 
Girthing of the 
stem dependent 
on the quantity 
of branches 
above it. 
cative of horizontal roots. Practically, some of 
the best growing trees that I have ever trans¬ 
planted are oaks. I need not say that these had 
no tap-roots, or that if they had, they would not 
have borne transplanting. 
The largest growth in girthing on branches is 
on the sides on which they have the most spray 
or small twigs ; so that branches which grow dia¬ 
gonally upward, having the greater quantity of 
spray on the outside, on account of the greater 
quantity of light, will also have their annual 
rings of wood largest on the outside from the 
descending sap of the spray depositing most 
freely on its own side. 
But the stem of a tree will be exactly like a 
river: its size will depend on the number and 
size of the branches which fall into it; and it 
will be seen to increase below and to decrease 
above the spot where each of its tributary 
branches joins it. It is beautifully ordained 
that no branch can grow above without deposit¬ 
ing below strength to support itself. 
Fir-trees, which are very regular in the size 
and position of their branches, are for this 
reason very regular in the tapering of their 
stems; but if the lower branches are cut, or 
killed by their neighbours, in the course of time 
