142 FORESTRY WORK 



decay has set in, as the mycelium (or, as they may be 

 called, the roots) of the fungus are already in the 

 apparently sound wood around the hole. 



As coal-tar will not adhere to the cut surfaces when 

 the sap is running, it is best to do all pruning of live 

 branches during the late autumn or winter months, but 

 not in frosty weather. 



Dead or dying branches should always be removed 

 from ornamental trees, but the expense of doing this in 

 a plantation would be too great. 



Dead Larch branches may be easily broken off by 

 means of a long pole, but even this is not to be strongly 

 recommended, as snags are often left, which are, of 

 themselves, too light to drop off, and cause knots in the 

 wood. If the branches are left they will be pulled out 

 of the sockets by their own weight. 



Where underplanting is to be done, any wide-spreading 

 branches on the trees left as the overcrop may be shortened 

 to half their length or cut off close to the stem. 



Pruning of standards in coppice woods is often neces- 

 sary, not only to improve the trees themselves, but to 

 lighten the shade on young coppice growths beneath. 

 If a tree has very strong side-branches on all sides, rather 

 than attempt to prune, it should be felled, and another 

 sapling or store tree left to take its place. 



In pruning small branches within easy reach, a sharp 

 pruning knife is used, the cut being made in an upward 

 direction. For small branches higher up, a pruning 

 chisel is the best tool, as a clean cut close to the stem 

 can be made. It is fitted to a light but rigid pole, and 



