Care of Street Trees. 73 



Heavy pruning, such as shown in Figs 2 and 3, seldom results 

 in anything but a brush-heap of a top or a stunted and weakened 

 tree. 



Leaving Stubs. 

 The most pernicious practice in pruning as it is usually done 

 is the leaving of short stubs of branches, which, deprived of com- 

 munication with the leaves, die and remain as decaying plugs of 

 wood in the trunk, from which rot soon spreads to the heart 

 of the tree, and not infrequently results in the death of the tree. 

 All amputations should be made flush with, ^the .wood of the stem 

 so that the wound can be readily growniOY^r, with,^^w,w,oP,43 .^Rd 

 the surface should be perfectly smooth to prevent water carrying 

 disease germs from lodging in the irregularities and starting deca}^ 

 The danger from decay may be. almost entirely eliminate .dj ,^y 

 applying a coat of coal tar on the wound immediately after the 

 cutting. This disinfects the surface and prevents water from 

 soaking into the wood. Other substances, such as white lead or 

 ordinary paint may be used, but coal tar is much the best. 



When heavy pruning is necessary and it is desirable to guide 

 the branching by leaving short branches, as in Fig 3, small leaf 

 bearing branches, called sap-lifters, should be left at the end of 

 the stub to keep up the circulation of sap and thereby prevent the 

 death of the stub. ■rnrr.]\r^ -^KT 



Time for Pruning. 

 Pruning, if carefully conducted,i;tTlay' be^^c«ie^t' atly time 

 of the year, but in the fall after the leaves have fallen is the best 

 time as a rule. At that time it is easier to see the arrangement of 

 the branches. You secure also the iftilliseason's^ Work ^dfthfele&Ves 

 in storing up food material, and all the benefit of the rayiid s{)fing 

 growth in healing over the wounds and in the production of de- 

 sirable branches.'^ • J ' ' " ' ' ' ' ' ' ' 



Treatment of Decayed Spot^in the Trunk. 



I'he life of a tree may often be saved even when decay is 



quite well advanced by first removing carefully all decayed wood, 



then painting the surface with coal tar to disinfect it, and if there 



is a cavity it should be filled up with cement, much as a dentist 



