Omaha daily bee., 1914-03-29
SCIENCE OF TREE SURGERY
inexpensive Tools Necessary for
Protecting the Wounds.
CAVITIES ARE EASILY FILLED
Life of Beautiful shade Trees May
Be Indefinitely Prolonged by
Employment of scien-
tInc Methods.
By DR. 4. WALT sTEINLE.

By DIR. =. WALT sTEINLE.
The day OF the woodchopper, who, with
brandlshing axe. went from door to door,
seeking to dismember and convey to the
woodpile the dying and blighted trees Is
past The people will no longer permit
their best friends, the trees, to be thus
maitreated.
However, Of all the methods employed
In treating trees the science of tree sur
gerry has been a blessing 10 the home
owners In former years when a tree
was afflicted with large decayng
wound the tree was considered only
available material for stove wood. For
years have employed tree surgery in the
saving OF many beautiful and valuable
ornamental trees. with as much success
as reliable dentist has in saving your
teeth by proper filling
watch small wounds.
Inspect your trees carefully and no
matter how small the decay may be from
stubbs, bruises or broken out limbs, al
ways remember that a small wound will
eventually be a large one. You can secure
II wood malet for % cents, two wood
chiseis one Of them one-half inch wide
and the other either one or two inches
wide.
Take a sharp knife and cut into the
living tissue around the wound, back into
the healthy living tissue. You will note
the living tissue around the wound will
have a tendency to curl inward. Cut back
far enough until the curl is removed,
which is usually about an, inch all the
way around.
Then take your wood chisel and mallet
and remove all the decay until you come
to a live, healthy wood Sometimes you
are required to chisel out very deep; in
this instance when you come to the dry,
but sound wood, stop your operations be-
cause you may weaken your tree to such
an extent 1t will not be able to sustain
itself. often a tree may be so far de-
cRyed that life cannot be sustained indef-
initely; however, a filling in the cavity
will prolong It's life q good many years.
some Decay Deep.
After the decayed matter has been re-
moved from the central part of your
wound take your half-inch chisel and
very carefully remove the wood near your
live tissue, and always back into the
wood on a slant. the same as II you were
phN u pipe.
you will come in contact with only sur
face wounds, However, where there is
decay II must be removed. which will
sometimes necessitate removing few
inches of live wood In all Filings your
cavities must be at least a few inches
deep. After all the decayed matter has
been removed thoroughly paint the inside
cavity with crosote coal tar or common
paint.
A thorough painting OF the cavities pre-
serves the wood. disinfects and extermi-
mates all insects. Now drive nails all over
the interior of your cavity, the size Of
the nails to be determined by the depth
OF your cavity. 1t is well to drive them
far into the tree; It will do no injury, but
to the contrary. It will keep the filling
from cracking or breaking out and will
strengthen the decay-weakened tree.
However, about an inch inside your
wound from the outside drive in an oppO-
site slant IA row of shingle nails about
an inch and half apart. This will help