against life than what we have been doing with trees. Talking with a practical and 

 well-read man awhile ago, he said that no one should be allowed to prune a tree, unless 

 he held a certificate showing that he was qualified. That would be preferable to the 

 present destruction. But the better way is to educate all people. This is the purpose of 

 THE TREE DOCTOR. 



The first thing to be considered before you sever a limb is, " Where shall I cut ?" In 

 photo 4 you will see three specimens. Study the one to the left. You will notice a 

 "stub" left on the branch about as you will commonly see them after the tree has been 

 "trimmed" by the average person, who has not made a study of this very important sub- 

 ject. This stub rots back to a certain point called the " shoulder." 



The middle specimen, in that photo, shows you a case a year after the cut was 

 made. The bark is decayed and peeled off, and to the right is an example of the invaria- 

 ble outcome. It takes six or seven years for this stub to rot and drop out. Nature strug- 

 gles in every way to heal over the wound, but cannot do it while the obstacle is in the 

 way. The reason why this stub dies is because there are no latent buds remaining to be 

 excited and started into growth, thereby preserving a circulation, as shown in photo 6. 

 In photo 5 the same specimens are turned so that you can see how the wood is affected. 



Looking back at the middle specimen of photo 4, you will see that the stub has dried, 

 because it has been exposed to rain, frost, snow, etc. The result is, decay has set in and 

 has run into the trunk of the tree, as you can see by looking at the same piece turned 

 over in photo 5. In this (photo 5), if you examine the right-hand specimen, you will 

 see that by the time the stub decays and drops out, the rot has gone down into the trunk 

 and up into the branches. This answers to blood poisoning in the human body. This 

 dead tissue, as before stated, is carried to the farthermost twigs, causing "specks," " dry 

 rot," etc., in the fruit. If you turn back to photo 3, you will see what destructive work 

 has been perpetrated on an otherwise fine specimen of Summer Rambo apple tree. 

 Directly in front of you is a wound where a stub was left till it rotted out. The birds 

 have dug clear into the heart of the tree. To the right is an old sore, larger still. A year 

 ago, in order to plow in a little closer, the farmer took his ax and slashed off the huge 

 limb at the left, leaving, as you can see, a stub over a foot long. In order to have 

 removed this limb a sharp saw, with plenty of " set," should have been used, and the cut 

 should have been made close to the larger, upright branch, where the line is placed. 

 (For cutting large branches, see elsewhere.) 



You will hear all kinds of "hobbies" as to how a tree should be "pruned"; but, the 

 fact is, when a branch has to come off entire, there is but one correct place to make the 

 cut. Turn again to photo 4. In the left-hand specimen the saw has been run in and a 

 piece of paper is placed there. About 2 inches to the right of the paper is a prominence, 

 which is what we call the " shoulder." At this place nature always makes a vigorous 

 effort to heal. This is a very strong point that connects the limb with the trunk of the 

 tree. It answers to the "socket" of the arm. If you look at the middle subject, in that 

 photo, you will see what an effort nature made in one year to heal at this shoulder, but 

 could not, because the dry stub was in the way. Look still farther to the right-hand one, 

 and see what a desperate attempt was made to close in after the decaying piece that stood 

 in the way and conveyed the air, water and frost down the wood fibre, where it wrought 

 such destructive work! If you turn to photo 17, you will see these "shoulders" very 

 plain in that maple. The maple shows this prominence much more distinctly than 

 some other species. It is also very plain in photo 16, by the side of which the high- 

 school girl is standing. Look at the hole that is rotted into this fine cut of timber! See 

 the decaying stub, also, above. If you will examine the trees that go down in wind- 

 storms, you will find nearly all are defective. (Those destroyed by cyclones are some- 

 times exceptions.) 



I have told you where to cut, and it may be well to add a few words how to perform 

 the act. There is a strong tendency for some of the wood and bark to split down. 

 Sometimes, if care is not taken, the bark will split down several feet. To avoid this, it 



