278 The Commercial Apple Industry 



ing the tops of trees six to ten years old, but work with this 

 tool is slow and cutting lacks precision. 



Lopping or wooden handled shears are popular for work 

 on young trees and also for working the lower parts of 

 old trees. However, their use becomes somewhat awkward 

 in the upper parts of bearing trees. The double leverage 

 type of " loppers " is desirable, 20 to 26 inches being the 

 preferred length. 



WOUND DRESSINGS 



Some difference of opinion exists among growers as to 

 the practicability of the use of dressings for protecting 

 wounds. Certain experiments have shown that undressed 

 wounds healed over more rapidly than dressed ones. 

 However, for nearly all wounds paint is most desirable, 

 white lead or white zinc thinned down with linseed oil 

 having given the best results. Tar or creosote is some- 

 times preferred for large wounds since these substances 

 are considered better preservatives than paint. The 

 heartwood of a large wound will have to stand many years 

 before it is completely healed over. 



Wounds in vigorous growing trees heal over more read- 

 ily than those on trees of low vitality. The painting 

 over of cuts less than one inch in diameter is not recom- 

 mended. 



THINNING 



Although practiced very extensively in some parts of 

 the country and particularly in the West, many growers 

 are slow to adopt thinning, and yet it is essential to the 

 production of high-class fruit. Once a grower has care- 

 fully thinned his fruit for a few years, he needs no further 



