i 4 4 TREES AS GOOD CITIZENS 
mature tree the cutting should be done at a crotch, and 
the wound should be parallel with the stem from which 
the limb has grown. The cut should be as close as possible 
to the remaining branch to promote rapid healing and a 
good appearance afterward. A perceptible collar or shoul- 
Improper method of pruning tree. 
a. —Tree before pruning. 
b. —Limb cut too close resulting in bark peeling. 
c. —Unsightly wound caused by this kind of pruning. 
der will usually be found around the base of a limb, and the 
wound will heal most readily if the cut is made through 
this collar. The fact that the close cut involves a larger 
wound is less important than the lessened danger of 
decay and the better appearance which come with the 
absence of an unsightly stub. All cuts should be left 
with smooth regular edges and surfaces, as jagged, rough 
outlines or surfaces retard healing. When there has 
been a clean cut, properly made, a small wound requires 
no treatment other than waterproofing by painting the 
