70 TREE WOUNDS AND DISEASES 



a sharp pruning knife following the line of 

 the tree stem is conducive alike to quick heal- 

 ing and non-injury to the adjoining wood. 

 Large branches must necessarily be removed 

 with a saw, but the wound at point of amputa- 

 tion should be neatly smoothed over with an 

 adze or pruning knife before being painted 

 with tar. In order to prevent splitting the 

 wood and tearing the bark when removing 

 heavy limbs, a saw-cut should be made on the 

 under side of the branch at the point where 

 amputation is to take place. 



The management of trees in the Metropoli- 

 tan area leaves much to be desired ; indeed, in 

 certain cases it would almost appear as if the 

 owners courted disaster by the treatment to 

 which their trees have been subjected. This 

 not only refers to trees growing in streets and 

 thoroughfares, but to those in private gardens 

 and grounds. 



When branches are removed, the work, un- 

 less in a few instances, is carried out in 

 a rather slipshod and barbarous manner, by 

 splitting the wood and tearing the bark, while 

 little attention is usually paid to painting or 



