152 



riUNCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



perfect ; indeed the majority on the market do too inferior 

 work to deserve the name. Most conspicuous among 

 these is the double-edge al^omination (Fig. Ill) pictured 

 in seedsmen's and nurserymen's catalogs. It not only 

 cuts the trees where it should not, but cuts the man who 

 uses it the least bit carelessly. E.xperienced pruners 

 shun it. 



Se\eral styles and sizes of saws are needed because 

 of the \ ariety of work to be done. For heavy work, such 



as orchard renovation, the blade 

 should be 24 to 27 inches long, 

 f) to (! inches \\ide at the base, 

 about ] inch wide at the small 

 end and have five or six teeth 

 of ordinary form to the inch. 

 The ordinar)' tooth will give 

 better satisfaction than the 

 "lumberman's tooth" often on 

 the double-edged saw (Fig. 

 111). For lighter work, such as 

 that on trees well handled from 

 the start, a lighter, smaller saw 

 is needed. One with a blade 

 21 to 24 inches long, 4 inches 

 wide at the handle, 1 inch at 



FIG. Ill 

 COMMON PRUNING SAWS 

 The uppermost saw differs 

 from an ordinary pruning saw 

 only in having,' a slightly cur\'ed 

 blade. The handle is too small 

 lor the f^io\'ed hand. So is the 

 handle in No. 2, which is a very 

 obiectionahle type of saw be- 

 cause of its double-edged blade. 

 The lowest tool is popular in 

 California for cutting grapevines 

 that are to be grafted near the 

 surface of the ground. On it the 

 teeth are set tor a draw cut. 



the tip and 



ith 



51^ or (i 



ordinary teeth to the inch will 

 be found very satisfactory. 

 For smaller branches a still smaller, thinner saw will 

 do e.xcellent work. One 15 inches long, 3 wide at 

 the base, tapering to a point and carrying 6, (13/2 or 7 

 ordinary teeth to the inch is about right. A curved saw 

 with teeth pointing towartl the handle is often of special 

 use in making draw cuts. Its length may be about 15 

 inches, its width at the point 1 inch and at the handle 2 

 or 2^/. inches. In California it is largely used in sawing 

 old grapevines for grafting. 



