The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-08-07
FARM AND GARDEN.
Practical Suggestions on the Time and Man.
Aer OF Pruning Trees Intended for Tim.
ber-1inOr Topics.
Pruning Timber Trees,

SASSNlt
respondent Of The Garden, denotes
only the removal of unsightlv excres-
cences or superauous parts of trees
with the view of making the bole grow
s%traighter, higher, and more regular.
This, l know, is still a disputed SUBJ
Ject, som 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 hat many trees
are i%rreparably injured and whole
plantations rendered useless by UNI
skillfnl 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 sirua-
tions by thick planting and judicious
timely thinning. Pruning should
commence when the trees are three or
four years old, and should be contin-
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 in
which it is performed. Branches
which are to be amputated should be
cut OIL 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
J it portions of the bark from the bole.
which Is both dangerous and unsight-
~. 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 n
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 underspecial 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 saws 40
manage woods in a proper manner,
young trees should be examined we'll
the third year after they are planted,
and it more than one leading Shoot is
found to exist the best should be Sc
lected and the others shortened to one
l n Ifsfhn Inn Frth ~ thn ,D1,>Ao l--a
This practice of examining the
trees should be continued every year
until they are about fifteen feet Il
height. These shortcomings, however,
must not be confined to superhuous
leading shoots, but extend to n
branch which is gaining q 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 primer 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,
1t 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
! Nlana yyhara fle l,,., ~ IL e., o,,4 II M =.
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 q large knot in the
wood is formed, thus defeating one Of
the principal objects which 1t is the
business of the primer to accomplish.
But another evil consequent upon this
practice, where no effort is made by
the tree to owe 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 il is healed, or
when the snag has lost it's 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 middic-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 by 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 physlolo-
gy of pruning trees requires looking
into The woodman in pruning cuts
the branch clean off near the trunk,
leaving the c%oncentrlc 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 On the size of
the branches, butin good-sized branch
es ittakes years. Meanwhile, the ex-
posed wound is very apt to collect
moisture, and from that and other
causes the tissue rots back into the
trunk, leaving a hole which may in
the end destroy the tree. and always
injure it more or less. Paint will pre-
vent decay, but unless it is applied
frequently it wears OFT. the face OF the
wound cracks, water gets in, and de-
cay follows. l have examined. many
tree wounds from artificial pruning,
and found this to be the result in nu-
merons instances. Nature prunes in
another way and with different results.
Decaying branches break oil sooner or