THE CARE OF STREET-TREES 121 



the wood being deeper, there is less danger from drying 

 and checking while the wound is healing. 



Limb Must Not Split. The necessity of making the cut, 

 as described above, being apparent, the question now com- 

 ing up is how to make the proper cut. In removing the 

 branch in Fig. 19, the cut would have to be made along 

 the line AB. If one were to start the cut with a saw at A, 

 the weight of the limb would cause it to split when near the 

 end of the cut, and the injury caused by the stripping of the 

 bark would be very great. A safe way, perhaps, of remov- 

 ing the limb would be to cut it off about two feet from the 

 shoulder, and then remove the stub. While it would be a 

 safe way, it would not be the easiest or the most practicable 

 way. The green wood across the junction of two branches 

 is very tough, in which the saw binds, no matter how coarse 

 a set it may have. It is desirable to utilize the weight of 

 the branch to spread the saw cut ; but at the same time the 

 splitting of the wood must be guarded against. 



First Method of Removing Limb. There are two methods 

 of sawing off a limb properly. Plate 28, Fig. 1, shows the tree. 

 Begin with a cut on the under side of the limb, about eight 

 or ten inches from the shoulder, sawing about half way 

 through, Plate 28, Fig. 2. Then remove the saw and make the 

 cut close to the shoulder, as in Plate 28, Fig. 3. When the 

 limb is cut about two-thirds or three-quarters across, the 

 weight of the end will cause it to split up to the under cut, 

 and it will fall off, Plate 28, Fig. 4. You can then safely 

 finish the cut, supporting the stub with the hand, so that 

 none of the bark is stripped. 



Second Method of Removing Limb. In the case of a 

 large limb, as in Plate 29, Fig. 1, the swelling at the base may 

 be such that it will not split horizontally, and then there 



