468 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Negative Results. 

 So far as can be seen, neither the character of the soil, 

 the slope of the land, the situation, whether exposed or 

 sheltered, nor the exposure of the wound, made the slight-- 

 est difference in the rate of healing. Wounds made upon 

 the north side of a tree healed e(|ually as well as those 

 made upon the south, east or west, although possibly the 

 wound dried out less rapidly on the north side. 



Summary and Conclusion. 



1. The best manner of removing limbs is to cut them off 

 close to the trunk or limb from Avhich thc}^ spring, using a 

 sharp saw, and taking every precaution to protect the bark 

 around the wound from injur3^ 



2. The best method of treating wounds is to cover them 

 with tar or thick paint. If tar is used, it should not come 

 in contact with the bark. 



3. Most trees may be pruned to best advantage in the 

 late fall, late winter or very early spring, before the growth 

 starts ; but those which " bleed" in the fall or earl}^ si)ring, 

 like the maples, hornbeams and birches, may be pruned in 

 summer. 



4. Wounds not over two inches in diameter should heal 

 in four to six years. 



5. No wound larger than three to four inches in diameter 

 should be made on any tree, if it can be avoided. Larger 

 wounds may heal well under favorable conditions, but with 

 unfavorable conditions they may never heal. Wounds on 

 forest or ornamental trees heal better than those on fruit 

 trees. No more limbs should be cut from any tree than is 

 absolutely necessary for the purpose in view. 



6. Trees receiving the best treatment, such as manuring 

 and cultivation, those protected from insects and not allowed 

 to overbear, heal wounds better than those not so treated. 

 In some cases, scraping the bark accelerates the healing of 

 wounds. 



In concluding this paper, it remains to be said that the 

 time occupied in these observations and experiments was 



