How to Protect
Pruned Trees
from
Infection
By
MARTIN A .
DAVEY
This tree is being pruned
properly—clean cuts close to
the trunk to facilitate healing. Waterproof coating is
being applied to the wounds.
F all t h i n g s t h a t tend to give a golf
course a down-at-the-heels appearance, probably none is quite so obvious as deadwood in the golf course trees.
The dead limbs and branches, j u t t i n g
skeleton-like into t h e sky, m a k e t h e entire
course look neglected and u n k e m p t a n d
seem to advertise the fact t h a t t h e club
officials care little about its appearance.
Greenkeepers w h o endeavor in every
possible way to keep the appearance of
their courses above reproach m a k e provision for h a v i n g their trees pruned at
regular intervals. I n this article I shall
discuss the need f o r p r u n i n g and also why
unusual care should be taken to m a k e sure
t h a t the deadwood is removed in a scientific m a n n e r .
P r u n i n g is the oldest form of t r e e care
a n d perhaps for t h a t reason t h e r e is a
common belief t h a t "anyone can cut a
dead limb off a t r e e . " Nothing could be
f a r t h e r f r o m t h e t r u t h . Investigations
have proved t h a t fully half of the m a j o r
O
tree troubles can be traced directly to improper p r u n i n g at some time in the past.
Poor Pruning May Kill
The greatest danger to which a tree is
subjected by improper p r u n i n g undoubtedly
is infection. Whenever a limb is cut, t h i s
danger is imminent, exactly the same as
t h e r e is danger of infection when a person
cuts himself or is operated on, and the
wound is not properly treated. In the case
of a person, blood poisoning is apt to occ u r ; in t h e case of a tree, t h e almost inevitable a f t e r m a t h of carelessness
is
decay.
Decay is caused by rot fungi, a low form
of vegetable life which live by t e a r i n g
down and consuming other f o r m s of vegetable life. A t a certain t i m e of the year
these rot f u n g i throw off what are called
The operator is showing the wrong way (left) and correct way to prune a branch from
a tree.
f r u i t i n g bodies. They resemble toad-stools;
in fact, m a n y of t h e m a r e toad-stools.
These f r u i t i n g bodies give off a m y r i a d of
t i n y microscopic seeds called spores w h i c h
float t h r o u g h t h e a i r . Whenever t h e s e
spores land upon t h e heartwood of a tree,
they a r e likely to do s e r i o u s damage.
The heartwood is a l w a y s exposed w h e n
a limb or branch is c u t off and unless t h e
wound is properly t r e a t e d the spores a r e
bound to lodge upon it sooner or - l a t e r .
Once established in a tree, t h e f u n g o u s
g r o w t h works relentlessly, spreading in all
directions, d e s t r o y i n g t h e cell walls a n d
a b s o r b i n g their contents. I t eats its way
insidiously into t h e limbs and t r u n k s ,
leaving behind n o t h i n g b u t a porous, rotten m a s s which can be crumpled in t h e
h a n d and powdered i n t o d u s t .
E v e n t u a l l y the t r e e becomes n o t h i n g b u t
a hollow shell doomed to collapse u n d e r
t h e first heavy wind. I t seems incredible
t h a t a splendid, h e a l t h y t r e e should perish
because it h a s been improperly p r u n e d ,
and y e t t h i s is exactly w h a t has h a p p e n e d
countless times in t h e p a s t and will cont i n u e to happen as long a s trees a r e p r u n e d
by unscientific m e t h o d s .
Prune Limbs Flush with Trunk
One of t h e most c o m m o n indications of
i m p r o p e r p r u n i n g is t h e unsightly s t u b
l e f t when a b r a n c h or l i m b is removed.
Not only does a s t u b d e t r a c t f r o m t h e app e a r a n c e of t h e tree, b u t it also provides
a n ideal spot for r o t f u n g i to get in a n d
s t a r t t h e i r deadly w o r k . N a t u r e provides
no way for t h e end of t h e s t u b to heal
over; it a l w a y s r e m a i n s open a n d exposed
to infection, a n d a f t e r t h e wood dries it
splits, m a k i n g openings t h r o u g h which the
rot f u n g i s p o r e s p e n e t r a t e deep into the
tree.
The t r e e e x p e r t never leaves s t u b s when
removing limbs or branches. H e m a k e s the
cut in such a w a y t h a t t h e flow of sap can
be carried c o n s t a n t l y to t h e edges of the
wound, p e r m i t t i n g rapid h e a l i n g . To do
this, he cuts t h e branch off flush w i t h the
limb or t h e limb flush w i t h t h e t r u n k . The
sap, flowing d o w n w a r d t h r o u g h t h e inner
bark, begins f o r m i n g a new g r o w t h called
callus which g r a d u a l l y g r o w s over the
wound and e v e n t u a l l y c o v e r s it entirely,
m a k i n g f u r t h e r infection impossible.
The tree e x p e r t not only m a k e s the cut
in such a w a y as to f a c i l i t a t e callus
growth, b u t h e also t a k e s p r e c a u t i o n s to
t r e a t t h e w o u n d at once to p r e v e n t infection. H e does t h i s by covering the wound
with a w a t e r p r o o f coating w h i c h sterilizes
it and is a n indispensable aid in protecting
it until n a t u r e covers it w i t h callus.
A w a t e r p r o o f coating m u s t h a v e special
properties to be s a t i s f a c t o r y . I t m u s t adhere firmly to t h e s u r f a c e of t h e wound in
all k i n d s of w e a t h e r — i t m u s t n o t r u n in
s u m m e r or c r a c k in w i n t e r ; it m u s t be
plastic e n o u g h to bridge over c r a c k s and
keep t h e w o u n d sealed even when the
wound begins to check. Y e a r s of experim e n t a t i o n were necessary to perfect a
coating which w a s s a t i s f a c t o r y in every
respect.
When a l a r g e limb is removed improperly, the b a r k a n d wood a r e o f t e n badly
ripped. T h i s is t h e common r e s u l t of removing t h e l i m b with only one cut. A f t e r
the saw s i n k s deeper and deeper into the
wood, the limb begins to sag. F i n a l l y , before t h e cut is completed, t h e l i m b crashes.
Rarely does it b r e a k off clean. Usually, it
rips t h e b a r k a n d wood on t h e lower side
of t h e limb. T h e jagged wound w h i c h results is p a r t i c u l a r l y susceptible to infection. S o m e t i m e s m a n y feet of b a r k a r e
torn a w a y a n d t h e a p p e a r a n c e of t h e tree
is m a r r e d .
How to Saw Off Branches
To p r e v e n t such injuries, t h e t r e e expert
m a k e s t h r e e c u t s with his saw. T h e first
is m a d e on t h e u n d e r side of t h e limb, a
foot or two f r o m the t r u n k . T h e second is
made on t h e t o p side a little f a r t h e r out.
The r e s u l t is t h a t when t h e limb f a l l s the
break is c l e a n — t h e r i p p i n g of wood and
bark is stopped a t the point w h e r e t h e first
cut was made. A f t e r the h e a v y p a r t of
the limb is removed, the t r e e e x p e r t proceeds to r e m o v e the s t u b flush w i t h the
trunk.
Needless to say, spurs should n e v e r be
used in c l i m b i n g the trees in o r d e r to
p r u n e it. Each hole made in t h e t r u n k by
the s h a r p p o i n t s leaves an opening t h r o u g h
which the tree can become infected. The
results of such wounds a r e often f a r worse
t h a n the benefits gained by p r u n i n g out
the deadwood.
Tree experts get to all
p a r t s of a tree by the use of r o p e s which
they have been t r a i n e d to use w i t h amazing d e x t e r i t y .
Incidentally t h e ax is a tool w h i c h always should be l e f t in the tool k i t unless
there a r e t r e e s to be cut down. W h e n a
tree is p r u n e d w i t h an ax, t h e w o u n d s a r e
almost i n v a r i a b l y jagged, a n d consequently
will not heal rapidly. The tree e x p e r t always uses saws f o r p r u n i n g work, a n d the
w o u n d s a r e so cleanly made t h a t t h e healing process is h a s t e n e d .
P r u n i n g is a very i m p o r t a n t a n d necessary phase of t r e e s u r g e r y . Dead b r a n c h e s
in a tree a r e a s e r i o u s m e n a c e — t h e y o f t e n
crash to t h e g r o u n d when least expected,
destroying
property
and
endangering
h u m a n life. Moreover, the deadwood menaces t h e t r e e ' s h e a l t h i n a s m u c h a s it is a
favored c a m p i n g ground f o r all k i n d s of
bacteria, f u n g o u s spores a n d insects. T h e r e
m i g h t well be a s l o g a n : Remove t h e deadwood and save t h e tree.
It m u s t be r e m e m b e r e d , however, t h a t
p r u n i n g t h e deadwood out of a t r e e does
not remove the cause of t h a t deadwood.
W h e n branches and limbs die back, t h e r e
is s o m e t h i n g wrong w i t h t h e tree. It m a y
be diseased; it m a y be s t a r v i n g to d e a t h ;
it m a y have been repeatedly defoliated by
insects a n d its vitality so lowered t h a t it
is slowly dying; it m a y h a v e girdling roots
which a r e s t r a n g l i n g it. Any one of a
g r e a t m a n y things m a y be wrong.
By m a k i n g a thorough diagnosis of t h e
t r e e ' s condition, the tree expert is enabled
to d e t e r m i n e t h e cause of the deadwood
and t r e a t the tree accordingly. Obviously
t h i s should always be done if the tree h a s
any p a r t i c u l a r value to t h e golf course.
( T h i s is the f o u r t h of a series of articles
r e g a r d i n g tree care w r i t t e n for G O L F D O M , by Martin L. Davey, president of
the D a v e y Tree E x p e r t Co.)
ANNOUNCE NEW COMPOST
AND S P R E A D E R
MIXER
D E A R D S L E Y & P I P E R COMPANY, 2543
N o r t h Keeler Ave., Chicago, have recently placed on t h e m a r k e t a new compost m i x i n g m a c h i n e and a topsoil dresser.
The m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s a n n o u n c e m e n t r e a d s :
" T h i s new Soilslinger
(illustrated here)
D
Soilslinger, new composter.
t h o r o u g h l y cuts, breaks, m i x e s and a e r a t e s
compost, completely pulverizes and prepares soil, sand and m a n u r e , and delivers
a perfectly blended m a t e r i a l into a fluffy
pile or windrow. T h e u n i t is simply cons t r u c t e d , possessing a specially designed
c u t t i n g cylinder to i n s u r e proper m i x i n g
and a e r a t i o n of m a t e r i a l s . I t is made w i t h
pulley f o r tractor d r i v e or with gasoline
engine or electric motor. While the Soilslinger will meet every capacity requirem e n t , it is p a r t i c u l a r l y applicable, because
of e x t r e m e l y low cost, f o r t h e smaller golf
courses a n d t h e needs of estates, etc.,
w h e r e only one or two m e n a r e employed
for turf m a i n t e n a n c e . "