Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-03-02
THE TREES
should BE
CARED FOR
University Department Urges That
Proper Measures Be Taken To
Preserve Shade and Orchard
Trees

Thousands of shade and orchard
trees, bent and broken by the sleet
which ravaged this section of the Bad
ger state, can be saved if proper prun-
ing operations are employed immedi-
ately, according to F. A. Aust of the
Department. of Horticulture at the
University of Wisconsin.
'"The sooner the trimming and re-
pair work is done after the ice has
left the trees, the BETTER" says Mr.
Aust. "The argument that the work
should be done before the sap starts
has little weight; if a tree is going to
bleed badly, as the naples and box
elders do, there is no way of stopping
it completely. The motto Safety
First should never be followed. The
motto should be Safety All the Time
"Tree surgery is but a matter of
common sense applied and if it is
impossible to procure the services of
an experienced tree surgeon, the work
can be done by an able man.
'The ordinary pruning tools neces-
sary for this work are good hand
saw, pole primer such as is used
i'll orchard work, and if possible, a
curved bladed saw attached to a 10
foot pole, bit and brace, a short
bar, pliers, paint brush and neces sary
ladders, and for heavy cable work a
a safety belt is also essential.
Branches on most trees are brok-
en- in two ways" continues Mr.. Aust,
Either rs a split in the crotch, or as
a straight break. A straight break
requires complete removal of the
branch. A crotch break may be re-
paired if quarter of the bark is in
tact and has not been separated from
the wood. Branches with straight
breaks should be removed at such a
point where there will be a remaining
twig or bud to continue the growth Of
g new branch.
Underwriting Branches
"All branches two inches in diam
eter or more should be undercut. This
consists of first making a saw cut on
the under side of the branch s or 10
inches above the point where the
branch is ultimately to be removed.
Cut in until the saw pinches. Now
go 2 or inches above this cut and
make another cut from the top of the
branch until it splits off of its own
weight. The stub can then be cut off.
Where large branches are to be
removed it is well to lower the branch
to the ground with a rope. The fall
ing of the branch can be completely
controlled in this way, and further
injury to the hest of the tree avoided.
Treating Wounds
Wherever branch is removed it is
well to treat the wound with a disin-
fectant. Lead paints should never be
used as they prevent healing. Good
preservatives are ordinary asphaltum
paint, procured at almost any drug
store or paint shop, and carbolineum,
procurable at most seed stores.
TO save branches where one-fourtE
of the bark is intact and not torn
from the wood" declares Mr.. Aust,
is usually not very difficult If care
fully planned and engineered. Two
lag screws are first placed in the
branches above the split crotch. Six
or eight-inch branches can be pulled
back in place on a half-inch caliper
screw hook. For heavy oak branches
a three-quarter inch caliper hook is
necessary.
I'm placing the screw hooks into
the branch, it is necessary to bore a
hole into the branch with bit one
size smaller than the screw. The
screw hook is then screwed in so that
there is just enough room to pass in
The wire or chain which will be used
to hold the branch or the block ard
,ackle. II the hooks have been prop
srly placed, the block and tackles are
to this set of hooks. Two adj
litional hooks are placed below this
irst set to which the cable or chain