The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-12-30

SlmpIe treatment saves VI
Tree surgery is comparatively sim
pie and inexpensive and most persons
can, with Il little preliminary practice,
undertake the simpler types Of tree
repair work that will prove immense
~ profitable in saving fine trees. A
few fundamental principles must he
observed to secure permanently good
results.
% Remove the dead, decayed. dis
eaSed or injured wood or bark. When
or q limb this can often be done best
by removing the entire limb; on a
large limb or on the trunk ii may
mean at times digging out the decayed
matter SO that a cavity Is formed.
t2) Stcrilize all cut surfaces.
(3) Waterproof all cut surfaces.
(+) Leave the work in the most ia
vorahle condition for rapid healing;
this will often mean filling or cover
Ing deep cavities.
90 Watch the work from year to
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 aud wood as it falls. A prelim-
mary cut should be made from the un-
der side, beyond the point for the
final cut; and Il second cut on he up
per side an inch or more beyond the
first one Then cut the stub close to
the trunk. a coat of good ShelIac
should be applied over the entire area
of the bark. outer Sapwood, and the
camnium imned ately.
CIeoSote should be applied TO the
rest Of the exposed wood not already
covered by the sl;rllac as Il protec-
ton and the entire Sheliacfed and
crcoSotrd surface should be finally wa
terprooted with thick coal tar or as
phal,. Grating wax. particularly the
thick liquid alcoholic kind. is excel
lent fOi interpreting small surfaces.
Another good method Of treating the
scars Is 10 char the surface with Il
gasoline or alcohol blast torch and
her Quickly cover the hot surface
with heavy tar. pitch. or hot asphalt.
The treated surfaces should he
watched from year to ear and ecOat
ed AZ necessary to preserve the wa
terproot ne.
In II moving small branches and
twigS Il cut should he made as close
to the supporting branch as possible.
CO u g RI ino \.y ma nrninrt inO sinh Tho
pruning wound must he steriliZed and
water PROCEED. For very small wounds
shellac $ handy.
When a wound has been allowed TO
remain %.ntrpatPd for u year or more
decay-pI uducing organisms are almost
certain 10 have started an area Of de
cay and insect activity behind the eX-
posed surface. Such regions zen
orally require excavation of decaNed
and diseased wood and Steri|iZing and
waterpro ofing of the cut Surfa"es.
The tools ordinarily required are
two outside ground socket-handled
gOUgeS tone three fourths of an inch
and the other 11a inches). a knife,
malIet NJ hammer. and an oil
| stone. Why k'Vl eNStN SIi'ulu w
used on the bark or near the am
blum.
Remove Diseased Wood.
Remove all the diseased or insect
eaten or water-solked wood. In dis
eascd areas of many years standing
there may be only a thin shell of
healthy wood around the cavity. i'm
which case the tree must he hraced
or guy,d d. and il is often hc''er re.
moved and replaced by a healthy one.
DO nJt leave II cavity so it will re-
tain wnter. In shaping a cavity that
is to b.. filed with cement. etc, have
the slices undorcut. If possible. 81 a.
to hold the filling more firmly in place.
InrOllei bark 1T the edges OF the open
ing Sh Juld be cut away after the de-
cayed and diseased matter has been
completely eycavated and the edges of
the sapwOOd and bark adjoining the
cnmbi i'm shellacked. The remainder
Cre"s ,te Is recommended. Over his
a he:vy waterproof covering should
be applied.
Killing the cavity is of much less i'm
pOrtaLce. Often a cavity is better left
until.~f. A cavity must he watched
from year to year and any tendency
OF the w~aterproOfing to crack. split.
or blis'er should Immediately be cOun-
! teracteh by repainting.
Where sheet-metal covering Is used
there should be a narrow half-inch
ledge OF bare wood around the edge
~ which the margin Of the metal can
he tackled. The cavity must be thor
oughly sierilized and w~aterprOofed,