PRUNING 



63 



saw is sharp," has a good deal of force, and means 

 that the season of pruning is not of vital importance. 

 Aside from the summer (June) pruning discussed 

 above, most work of this sort is done in early 

 spring, or, in regions further south, at any time dur- 

 ing the winter when field work is practicable. There 

 are some real reasons for doing this spring pruning 

 as early as possible after heavy freezing weather 

 is over. First of all, the 

 rush of spring work is 

 thereby avoided ; second, 

 the wounds heal more 

 easily; and third, the 

 wounds are not so apt to 

 bleed, 



Another favorite matter 

 of argument is the method 

 of cutting the stub. Some 

 pruners claim that any 

 large branch should be cut 

 just outside the collar or 

 raised ring of bark which 

 surrounds the base. Others 

 say that it should be cut 



back as closely as possible to the parent branch. This 

 question is really of small import. The stub should be 

 cut close, smooth and clean, but in case only of 

 the renovation of old and neglected orchards, or re- 

 pairing trees broken by accident, is the cutting of 

 large limbs really excusable. An orchard properly 

 pruned from the beginning will not require such 

 drastic surgery. 



PAINTING WOUNDS 



When large limbs are cut away the wounds 



FIG. 26 — PROPERLY HEAL- 

 ING WOUND 



