Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1920-12-24

Tree surgery is comparatively sim
pie and Inexpensive and most persons
can. with little preliminary practice,
undertake the simpler types of tree
repair work that will prove immense
ly profitable in saving fine trees. A
few fundamental principles must be
observed to secure permanently good
results.
"a Remove the dead, decayed, dis
ensed or injured wood or bark. When
on n limb this can often be done best
by removing the entire limb; on
large limb or on the trunk 1t may
mean at times digging out the decayed
matter so that n cavity is formed.
(2) Sterilize all cut surfaces.
(3) Waterproof all cut surfaces.
(4) Leave the work In the most ia
vorable condition for rapid healing;
this will often mean filling or cover
Ing deep cavities.
(5) Watch the work from yenr to
year for defects and II any appear at
tend to them Immediately.
Removing Large Limbs.
A large limb rarely should be re-
moved by a single saw cut from the
upper side. as this usually strips the
bark and wood as II falls. A prellm-
mary cut should he made from the un-
der side. beyond the point for the
final cut; and second cut on the up
per side an inch or more beyond the
first one. Then cut the stub close to
the trunk. A coat OF good shellac
should be applied over the entire area
of the bark. outer sapwood, and the
cambiurh Immediately.
Creosote should be applied to the
rest OF the exposed wood not already
covered by the shellac as protec-
ton, and the entire shellacked and
creosoted surface should be finally wa
ierproofed with thick coal tar or as
phalt. Grating wax, particularly the
thick liquid alcoholic kind, is excel
lent for waterprooting small surfaces.
Another good method of treating the
scars Is to char the surface with n
gasoline or alcohol blast torch and
then quickly cover the hot surface
with heavy tar, pitch, or hot asphalt.
The treated surfaces should be
watched from year to year and recoat-
tu as nfttSSuTy W pftSelfe tne VIII
terproofing.
In removing small branches and
twigs the cut should be made as close
TO the supporting branch as possible.
so as to leave no projecting stub. The
pruning wound must be sterlized and
wnter-proofed. For very small wounds
shellac is handy.
When wound has been allowed TO
remain untreated for n year or more.
decay-producing organisms are almost
certain to have started an area of de.
cay and insect activity behind the ex-
posed surface. Such regions gen
| orally require excavation of decayed
and diseased wood and sterllzlng and
interpreting of the cut surfaces.
The tools ordinarily required nre
two outside-ground socket-handled
gouges Gone three-fourths of an inch
and the other IL lnches), knife.
mallet or hammer, and an oil
stone. Only keen edges should be
used on the bark or near the cam
blum.
Remove Diseased Wood.
Remove all the diseased or insect
eaten or water-soaked wood. In dis
ensed areas Of many years standing
there may be only thin shell of
healthy wood around the cavity, In
which case the tree must be braced
or guyed. and It Is often better re-
moved and replaced by healthy one.
Do not leave n cavity so It win re-
tain water. In shaping "A cavity that
is to be filed with cement, etc, have
the sides undercut, If possible, so as
to hold the filling more firmly In place.
Inrolled bark at the edges of the OPEN
ing should be cut away after the de-
cayed and diseased matter has been
completely excavated and the edges OF
the sapwood and bark adjoining the
cnmbium shellncked. The remainder
Of the cavity also must be sterlllzed.
CreosOte Is recommended Over this
u heavy waterproof covering should
be applied.
Filling the cavity IL OF much less i'm
portance. Often cavity is better left
untitled. A cavity must be watched
from year TO year and any tendency
of ,he waterproofing to crack, split,
or blister should Immediately be coun-
teracted by repainting.
Where sheet-metal covering Is used
there should be narrow half-Inch
ledge Of bare wood around the edge
TO which the margin of the metal can
be tackled. The cavity must be thor
ougtly sterilized and waterproofed,