Pruning Street Trees 



109 



trees. The use of climbing irons should be avoided, as 

 well as other methods which would damage the bark. A 

 heavy pruning cleaver for medium-sized twigs and prun- 

 ing knives and shears of ^■arious shapes for the smaller 

 twigs are useful. For the 

 latter, a long handled chisel 

 with a guide (Victor Pruner) 

 in practised hands, is an ex- 

 cellent tool. Chisel and ham- 

 mer may sometimes be needed 

 to smooth cut surfaces and to 

 cut out rotten wood. For 

 small branches, up to three- 

 quarter inch diameter, the cut- 

 ting shear tree-pruners either 

 with or without pole and rope 

 are serviceable, various forms 

 being on the market. The 

 main point to look out for is 

 that the cutting edges pass 

 close past each other and that ' '^^' 

 they can readily be kept in such relation, that the spring 

 opening the blades be sufficiently strong, and yet not too 

 strong, that the grips are not closing up too closely, and 

 that the tool be kept sharp. Common sheep shears answer 

 for light trimming as well as any other more fanciful tool. 



Pruning Street Trees. The pruning of street trees should 

 begin early, while the tree is still young, so as gradually to 

 secure the proper form — a well-defined main shaft and a 

 symmetrical crown of branches starting well above the heads 

 of the passers-by. If this trimming is done within a few 

 years after planting and is repeated regularly e\-er}- two or 

 three years, the necessity of removing heavy branches, 



-" Waters' " tree-pruners. 



