The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-08-28
FARM AND GARDEN.
Practical Suggestions on the Time and Man.
ner of Pruning Trees Intended for Tim
ber-Minor Topics.
Pruning Timber Trees.

straighter, higher, and more regular.
This, I know, is still a disputed SUBJ
ject, some strongly advocating its ne
cessity and utility, while others de-
precate it as useless and injurious.
The truth probably lies between the
two extremes, for much may no doubt
be done in assisting nature to rectify
defects and to correct deformities, and
in adding to the general health, beauty
and vigor of the tree. On the other
side, it is not less true that many trees
are irreparably injured and whole
plantations rendered useless by un-
skillful and indiscriminate pruning
and wholesale mutilation.
Many authorities agree that pruning
is beneficial and essential in promot-
ing the profitable growth of most
hardwood trees. but this may be rem
dered less necessary in certain situa-
tions by thick planting and judicious
timely thinning. Pruning should
commence when the trees are three Or
four years old, and should be coptin-
ued if necessary during the after
growth of the tree. No general rules
can, however, be laid down on this
point which shall equally apply to all
circumstances and situations. There
is no doubt that much of the success
of pruning depends on the manner in
which it is performed. Branches
which are to be amputated should be
cut off clean, smooth, and close, max
ing the stroke upward, and with a
sharp bill, in order that the bough
may not splinter and carry away with
it portions of the bark from the bole,
which is both dangerous and insight
ly. Although it is generally agreed
that one lending shoot should be pre-
served, 1t is an erroneous practice to
cut away all the side branches at once,
and the removal of large boughs
should be avoided as far as possible.
Although hardwood trees generally
derive benefit from pruning, coniferous
trees do not admit of being pruned at
all, unless under special circumstances,
and then only with great care and
Judgment. The pruning of timber
trees has had many warm advocates,
especially in Scotland, and no one
perhaps has explained the real or
imaginary advantages of the system
better than Mr.. Cree. He says ITO
manage woods in proper manner,
young trees should be examined we'll
the third year after they are planted,
and if more than one leading shoot is
found to exist the best should be Sc
lected and the others shortened to one
half the length of the selected shoot.
''This practice of examining the
trees should be continued every year
until they are about fifteen feet n
height. These shortcomings, however,
must not be confined to supertuous
leading shoots, but extend to anv
branch which is gaining dispropor-
tionate ascendency over other branches
of the same years growth. At first,
and for some time previous to this
stage of the growth of the plant, the
shortcomings should be more carefully
performed than is necessary after
ward. The process of examining a
tree is a simple one; it is done in a
moment by the pruner casting his eye
over the whole tree and detecting the
branches which require to be short
ened. AS a general rule, where it is
found that any branch has a greater
growth upon it than the leading shoot,
it should be shortened by cutting to
about half the length of .the leader.
Writers differ much regarding the best
way of cutting off the branches. By
some it has been recommended to leave
Snags-that is, to allow a few inches
to remain between the stem and the
place where the branch is cut Off This
IS a bad system. Even granting that
trees suffer much by bleeding when
cut close to the stem, that bleeding
will soon be prevented by the wound
becoming healed, There are two evils
attending the practice of leaving
snags. In the elm and many other
trees of considerable size an effort is
made by the tree to cover the snag
long before its growth is sufficient to
reach the amputated part, and the
consequence is that large knot in the
wood is formed, thus defeating one of
the principal objects which 1t is the
business of the pruner to accomplish.
But another evil consequent upon this
practice, where no effort is made bv
the tree to cover it until the annual
increase of the alburnum circles shall
have done so, is that the snag, in
resinous trees in particular, is always
liable to bleed until it is healed, or
when the snag has lost its vitality it
soon becomes liable to rot From
this latter circumstance arises the dan
ger of finding large trees, apparently
sound when cut down, rotten in the
interior. This is frequently the case
with snags, even in middle-s sized trees.
When large branches, too, are ampu-
tated from old trees before the growth
of the tree can cover the part it has
become rotted. and bv explosure to
the atmosphere moisture is carried
down the pith of the tree. which COM
mences the work of decomposition,
spreading to other parts of the wood. :"
Another writer says: The physloio-
gy of pruning trees requires looking
into. The woodman in pruning cuts
the branch clean off near the trunk,
leaving the concentrlc rings which
usually form round the base of a
branch. AS growth progresses, the
bark gradually grows over the wound
till it is quite covered, and it Is then
supposed to be healed. The time re-
quired for this depends OF the size of
the branches, but in good sized branch
es it takes years. Meanwhile. the ex-
posed wound is very apt to collect
moisture, and from that and other
canSaS tho tiSSua rotS haoir into tho