THE PRINCIPLES OF PRUNING. 



237 



wounds with an antiseptic like Stockholm tar; then they 

 will heal more quickly. (Fig. 103.) 



Tools Used in Pruning. The first essential is a good 

 folding clasp-knife. There are two kinds, one with a 

 straight and the other with a curved blade, each fitted 

 with a stag's-horn handle. Then a pair of secateurs come 

 in useful for pruning Gooseberries, Red and White Cur- 



Fig. 108. WRONG WAY TO ROOT PRUNE A TREE. 



Severing the roots too close to the trunk, and thus sacrificing the fibrous ones 

 Result, a severe check to future growth. 



rants, and the best form is that with two cutting blades. 

 A saw, too, is indispensable for cutting off large branches. 

 The American curved saw is a most useful form for 

 general use. Tree pruners, fitted with long handles and 

 operated by a lever, are indispensable for pruning large 

 trees, as the primer can remove branches without ascend- 

 ing the tree. (Figs. 104 to 107.) 



