The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-08-14

through the limb. A good time to stop
cutting is when the saw becomea
pinched in the cut The second cut in
made on the upper side of the limb,
an inch or two beyond the first one.
This Is continued until the limb falls.
After the limb has fallen, a third cut
to remove the stub Is made close to
the trunk and in line with its wood
surface. When nearly sawed through.
the stub must be supported until COM
pletely severed, so as to avoid any
possibility of stripping the bark below
as 1t falls. The first and second cuts
to prevent stripping may be omitted
when small limbs which can be held
firmly In place until completely Sc
vered are being cut.
When the scar is not naturally point
ed above and below, it is a good prac-
tise on most trees to remove a short
triangular piece of bark from the
upper edge, SC as to anticipate it's
dying back at these points. This
makes the scar pointed at both ends,
the most favorable shape for healing.
1t is important that some good shellac
be applied with a suitable brush Over
the edge of the bark and outer wood
Immediately after the cut is made. IL
the scar is large one, it is a good
plan to use the knife around the edge
for one or two minutes and then shell
lac the freshly cut surfaces, repeating
the operation until all the bark and
sap wood around the scar has been
shellacked. The full benefit of the
shellac will not be achieved If many
minutes elapse between the cutting
and the shellacking. unless the freshly
cut surfaces are visibly moist with
sap. II necessary, the woody surface
OF the scar may now be smoothed
off with chisel and mallet to conform
in general shape with the tree trunk.
Antiseptic and Waterproof Dressings.
The final operation is to sterilize
and waterproof the surface Of the ex-
posed wood and bark. For this pur-
pose many preparations have been
used. Recent extensive tests by spe-
cialists in timber preservation indi-
cate that some of the creosotes stand
far ahead of all other tested prepare
tons in their power to destroy and
prevent the growth of certain wood
destroying fungi and that ordinary ere.
osote, although it does not head the
list, is far better than the other prep.
arations except some of the less
known and less available creosotes.
Furthermore, creosote penetrates the
wood better than a watery antiseptic.
Commercial creosote can be applied
with an ordinary paint brush over
every part of the exposed wood. The
entire shellacked and creosoted sur.
face must finally be waterproofed by
painting it with heavy coal tar A
single application Of mixture of Gre
osote and coal tar (about one-fourth
or one-third creosote) has been quite
extensively used with good results.
Although one coating of this mixture
may at times be sufficient, it is al.
ways safer to follow it with a heavy
coat of coal tar.
A good grade of lead paint can be
substituted for the tar, il desired al
though 1t is not generally considered
as satisfactory; or grating wax may
serve satisfactorily for small surfaces.
Asphalt and various preparations con-
tanning asphalt are excellent water
proof coverings and would doubtless
be more generally used were it not
necessary to apply them hot A good
and possibly more permanent method
of treating the scars is to char the
surface slightly with a gasoline or al.
cohol blast torch and then cover the
hot surface with heavy tar or hot
asphalt. Although heat is an excel
lent sterilizing agent, it does not pene-
trate as well as creosote and it kills
back the cambium or soft, forming
wood, to greater extent
Tools.
The necessary tools for digging out
decayed matter are few. AS a rule,
two outside ground socket-handled
gouges Zone with a curved cutting
edge of about three-fourths of an inch
ana the other, perhaps one and a half
chisel, mallet, knife, and
an oilstone are sufficient for ordinary
work. The gouges, chisel, and knife
should never be used near the cam
blum when they lack keen edge, as
lull tools will injure 1t. In cutting out
ieep cavities, longer interchangeable
handles for the gouges may be neces- |
'ary. A ladder or a stepladder will |
70 required If the work is more than |
I've feet from the ground. Climbing |
purs should be avoided as they cause /
INJURIES which may allow infection by !
causing rot or parasite dis
asses.