Abilene weekly reflector., 1912-06-06
nOw AND WHEN TO
PRUNE YOUR SHADE TREES

comes very frequently 10 tne
ruItural department OF the state
AGRICULTURAL college, and tine olu
answer, "whenever your knife is
sharp is particularly applicable DUR
ing this season OF the year. SHADE
trees pruned while in full leaf VIII
form new tissue about the WOUNDS
very readily and recover much more
CuicIkIv than when pruned during
the winter months. There are tnou-
sands of shade trees that should
have some careful pruning In order
20 best serve the purpose for which
they were planted. A shade tree
should be as nearly ideal In form
M possible and little cutting when
the trees are young will do more
IN produce a we'll shaped tree than
will any amount Of cutting and saw
ing after the trees have attained
any considerable age.
The formation of forks should De
avo,ded and in the case of street
trees they should be pruned suin-
cinetly high to allow the safe pas
sage of umbrellas and millinery. To
secure this desired condition It is not
necessary to plant poles. The tree
that IL set little distance from the
sidewalk may well carry branches
sufficiently low to protect its trunk
from the danger of sunscald, but as
moon as the tree has grown to a
greater height these lower branches
should be removed until by the time
the tree has attained. height OF
25 or 80 feet-its branches are weil
above the heads Of the passeroy'
Many a town has constable or
marshal or other guardian OF the
veace whose health would be much
better II a part Of his hours were
devoted to trimming the trees on
Dublic grounds and along the streets,
but it requires fully as much intel
ligence to prune tree correctly as
Il does to serve legal papers or I'M
pound offending CANNES.
Whenever a branch Is to be re-
moved the cut should be made as
close to the stem from which 1t ori-
Rinates as is convenient. There is
such a thing as cutting too deeply
into the limb and making a large"
wound than is necessary, but stubs
even an inch long will require a
Greater time TO heal and are much
more likely to be injured by fungus
diseases than where the cut is close
70 the stem. Stubs six inches or q
foot long are lasting monuments to
the ignorance and carelessness OF
the pruner and fogm a menace tt
the future welfare and health OF the
tree.
II the work is begun in time trees
may be headed back carefully and
the tree made to retain its shape
for an indefinite length Of time, cut
the work must be done frequentl?
and no treat amount Of prtnirg
done at rny one time. Trees thG;
nave been dehorned usIPlly produce
the new tops at point some little
A...ance 1elow the wo Ind and Ties"
branches coming as they do from
the outer new grown jnst beneath
the bark, are particularly liable to
be broken off and blown down py
heavy winds or the weight Of snow
The rights of the passerby have
not been clearly defined. It would
seem. according to the principles Of
ethics, that every freeholder owes
Il to the passing public to keep his
trees Ii as good condition and nave
them present as good appearance az
he possibly can. When the street
trees belong to the public there
should be less difficulty in havips
Them well cared for and mainta. 4
good form than is usually the case
The need OF tree surgery would mo-
be so common II more care had beer
given during the formative perlot
OF their growth. As a general rule
the pruner should incline to leniencJ
and hesitate to remove branch 4
there is any question about the neet
OF its removal.
The work of pruning may easily
be overdone. If trunks which have
previously been shaded are exposed
to the direct rays Of the sun, scald
ing is almost certain to be followe'
by the attacks of borers which nearl!
always cause the death of the tree
Many of the elms and honey locust
in tie streets Of towns in centra
- A. - -A~G ~asNa