254 



THE GARDENEK'S ASSISTANT. 



Fig. 323.— Imperfect Pruning. Condi- 

 tion of the stump at end of fifth year. 



leave such stumps for a time, because in the 

 event of decay setting in it may do so without 

 injury to the main stem, and because they also 



prevent the loss of 



sap. Such arguments 

 are utterly erroneous. 

 The stump will inevi- 

 tably die and prevent 

 the healing over of 

 the wound. Figs. 323, 

 324, and 325 show 

 exactly what happens. 

 In cutting off a branch 

 the invariable rule 

 should be that the 

 cut be made in a line 

 with the outside of the stem or branch from 

 which it springs. The lines in fig. 326 show 

 the right and the wrong way. If the direction 

 of the cut is from A 

 to B the stump of 

 wood (b c) is out of 

 the direct flow of 

 sap, and although 

 the wound may in 

 time become healed 

 over,it is much longer 

 in doing so, and the 

 danger of decay set- 

 ting in is proportion- 

 ately greater. The 

 line AC is the proper 



direction the cut should take, irrespective of the 

 size of the wound. 



For the same reasons the partial pruning 

 back of lateral branches, which has been re- 



Fig. 324.— Condition of the stump at 

 end of tenth year. 



Fig. 325.— Trunk of an Oak ruined 

 by the decay of the Stump of a 

 Branch. 



Fig. 326— Right Method of Prun- 

 ing. Cut should be made in the 

 direction of a to c, not a to b. 



saw it off roughly (cutting the under side first) 

 a foot or more from the trunk before the 

 final cut is made. Otherwise the branch, 

 through its own weight, is apt to split when 

 half-sawn through, and possibly tear a great 

 wound in the trunk. Fig. 328 shows how a 

 small branch should be removed. 



However carefully the amputation of a large 

 branch is performed, it will be some years 



Removal of a large Limb. Side and front views. 



before the wound is quite healed over, i.e. 

 covered with a new layer of wood and bark. 

 During that time it is exposed to various 

 dangers. The action of sun-heat may crack 

 the surface of the wound and allow moisture 

 to enter; the spores of fungoid parasites may 

 obtain a footing, or injurious insects may 

 deposit their eggs there. Certain trees, like 



commended as a means of stimulating the 

 growth of the leading shoot, should always be 

 done at a fork, and the cut should be made in 

 a slanting direction, nearly or quite in a line 

 with the branch that is left (see fig. 327). In 

 removing a large branch it is always best to 



Fig. 328.— Removal of Branch at a Fork. The cut should be from 

 a to b, not a to c. 



Oak or Elm, are, on account of their hard wood, 

 less liable to injury than others like Lime or 

 Horse Chestnut, but for all trees the best 

 dressing for wounds as a protection against 

 these evils is coal-tar. This is a by-product 

 in the manufacture of gas, and being liquid it 

 can be smeared over the wound with a brush, 

 and all danger from fungi, insects, &c, is 

 avoided. On very large wounds that take 

 years to heal over, the drying effects of the 

 sun may make it necessary to renew the coating 

 once or twice. When applied, the coal-tar 

 should be as liquid as possible. In winter it 

 is often too stiff to use without heating slightly. 

 Whilst it is useful to apply to the wounds of 



