The St. Johns herald., 1922-04-27

1OuuS ITulI trees uDQSr SIX years
 of age, or even older when they are
 not more than three or four inches in
 diameter, which have their whole top
 broken out and perhaps split at the
 main forks, can often be brought back
 into good shape by saving off the trunk at the highest available point, at an angle of about 45 degrees, even though this leaves a trunk not more
 than six inches high, and painting the cut end.
 Essentially the same principles may be applied to growing new branches from the stubs mentioned above in the top of the tree. A temporary cut Is made just below the branch and then after the first years growth a per manent cut just beyond a twig which is to make future framework limb. It is not often necessary in this case to do summer pinching, and it may be desirable in the later pruning to leave some of the weaker lateral sprouts for future fruiting limbs instead of strip ping them all off as described for training up new trunk. Forks which have split down and even bent over so that the branches touch the ground. but with the wood and bark still in- tact and not too badly splintered, can be pulled up with ropes and bolted back into place, using one or more bolts inserted according to the usual tree surgery methods described in Farmers Bulletin ITS, Tree Sur gery, which deals with the general problem of repairing forest, shade and ornamental trees. This bulletin can be obtained free on application to the Division of Publications, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. c.
 Proper Method of Treating Wounds.
 If the branches are broken down be- yond recovery, hanging only by splin- tered wood and bark, or in case of branches broken off from the tree, the wound should be trimmed add smoOthed as neatly as possible with a gOuge and mallet. Special atten- tion should be given to trimming the edges of the bark neatly, particularly at the lower part of such wound, because growth proceeds from the top and sides more than from the bot tom. Ragged stubs and broken edges of the bark should be trimmed out at the bottom of the wound. The splintered wood should be removed, leaving a smooth surface for the heal ing-in margin of the wound to cover. The bottom should end in an clip tical or V-shaped point from which rain water can readily escape.
 Grating May Hasten Recovery. |
 The recovery of badly broken trees can be haStened somewhat by insert ing gratis according to the usual methods of grating fruit trees, though 1 perhaps the gratis may not always be i'll the usual positions. Cut stubs can be grafted with two or more scions, either of the same or of a new variety. The scions for this purpose should be saved while the trees are still perfectly dormant, but the graft | ing is best done while the buds are swelling.
 Large injuries on the trunks of the | trees can be covered by bridge graft | ing. This consists of inserting long whip-like scions above and below the | wound so as to completely bridge it | over. By this method the trees can be greatly strengthened. It may be necessary to cut back the tops even | more than ordinarily to prevent the wind from pulling the grafts out, and | possibly to support the grafted tree top by posts and wires after the | method used in supporting telegraph | poles. The coal-tar creosOte tree paint | should never be used in contact with | the cut surfaces of gratis, but only grafting wax, since this tree paint will | kill the cut surfaces and prevent the | union of the scion and the stock. Farm CTS Bulletin 716, Bridge Grating of | Fruit Trees, contains information re- garding this practice.
 All the pruning and tree surgery above suggested, except the grating, should be done during the dormant season before the buds swell and the bark begins to slip.