The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-07-29
Trees!
Careful Study, Con-
slant Care Needed
to Prolong Life,
E n h a n c e
B e a u t y,
Utility.

How often do you get your hair
cut? If you are man, you sell
dom let more than three weeks
pass without at least trim. 1t
makes you more comfortable and
adds greatly to your appearance.
If you were unable to make your
wishes in this regard known or
understood, and had to go on
month after month, year after
year, without the services Of a
barber, or even the old bowl and
kitchen scissors, you would feel
very much abused indeed.
Important Task
Proper attention to pruning
and trimming of trees is much
more important to their welfare
than a haircut to yours. Yet how
often is tree given this con-
sideration? Reduction of thick
foliage in top branches allowing
sunlight to penetrate to inside
lower branches, shaping and
training of ornamental and fruit
bearing varieties, and the health
and vitality of the tree are all
governed by correct pruning. In
cases where dead and dying
branches are present, removal of
these limbs is important to the
safety of people passing beneath
the tree.
Heavy winds or sleet storms
often crack and splinter sound
limbs. If this occurs, immediate
removal Of the injured portions
of the tree is essential, Many
tree owners feel that pruning and
removal of dead limbs will be TAX
en- care of by nature in due
course of time. The dead limbs
fall all right-through a roof or
on somebody's head, perhaps.
And unless the break is par
ticularly fortunate, decay starts
to work on the dead stump re-
naming. Having no bark or pro-
tective layer to contend with, in
sects and fungus work from this
decayed stump directly into the
heart of the tree, where they may
do irreparable damage.
Amputation
Limbs which do not add par
ticularly to the appearance or
well-being of a tree often obscure
or cut off a view which the own
er wishes to enjoy. In such cases,
as in the case of dead branches,
extreme care is indicated in the
removal of the limb. Whether
the amputation is made from the
trunk, or from larger branch,
the cut should be made flush with
the surface remaining. This en-
ables the downward sap flow to
oathe the edges Of the cut, en-
couraging and building new bark
over the exposed surface. If the
area of exposed wood is other
than very small, it should be
treated with a good tree wound
dressing, to prevent drying out,
or fungus and insect attacks be-
fore the callus or soft pith has
advanced over 1t.
Installation of underground
pipes, road or home building
operations, and other common ac-
tivities sometimes necessitate the
pruning of roots. It is vital to
the safety of the tree whose
roots are to be cut that pruning
here be done with the same care
as though it were being done on
a large branch above ground.
Roots are as susceptible to decay
and attack as any other part of
the tree, and they are the life
lines feedin gfood and water to
the rest of the organism. The
angle of the surface of the cut
should always follow the course
of the natural sap flow.
Factors
The times of year most suitable
for pruning and trimming de-
pend on such a number of va
riable factors, that 1t is almost
impossible to set a best" time for
1t. Immediately" is the best
time for an emergency pruning.
Otherwise the most definite In
formation seems to run with the
old saying, "Prune when the saw
is sharp"