Bad Effects of Pruning
Even in the case of dwarf avenues and screens it is quite unnecessary to use such large-growing trees as the lime and plane where pruning must oft be resorted to, for an avenue or screen of thorn or mulberry, the beam tree or mountain ash would be more suitable, and in the end far more natural and artistic in appearance.
To sum up in a few words, my contention is that no tree should be planted in a position where, in order to keep it within due bounds, a systematic clipping and pruning has to be resorted to.
Pruning Dead Wood.—Opinions differ greatly as to whether or not dead branches should be removed from park and woodland trees. It is, however, mainly a matter of taste, and a point on which two of the largest owners of woodlands in this country hold distinctly opposite opinions, though at the same time it cannot be denied that the careful removal of all dead and dying wood from a tree is highly beneficial. Pruning should, however, only be extended to such trees as are in a fairly healthy condition, with well-developed heads, and containing only a moderate quantity of dead wood, there being many fine old specimens that would be rendered unsightly in the extreme and receive no benefit from removal of the dead and dying timber, but this has direct reference to trees standing singly throughout the park, and not to specimens in the woodland.
In many of our parks and woodlands at the present time there exists an undue quantity of dead and dying wood, which may be attributed to natural decay, the quality of the soil, and in some instances to long-standing neglect in the matter of non-attention to wounds which have been caused by wind-broken limbs and branches. Such trees would be greatly improved, both in health and appearance, by judicious removal of the dead branches and attention to old wounds in order to prevent the ingress of water, the decay of many branches being directly attributable to this cause. That an undue quantity of dead wood will induce injurious insect pests, such as the goat and wood leopard moths, which attack healthy trees, is well known, and was exemplified in one of our London parks recently where numerous young thorns and various species of Pyrus were injured by the latter. In removing dead branches cut them well back into the living wood in order to induce fresh growth at the point where amputation takes place. The removal of large dead limbs from old specimen trees is an operation that requires a great amount of skill, and should only be entrusted to those who have had practical experience of pruning in its various phases. As before stated, the removal of dead wood is merely a matter of sentiment, though of its practical utility there can be no doubt, and in all cases where the stag-headed trees are conspicuous, the removal of the dead wood is to be recommended.
Pruning Shrubs.—Generally speaking, shrubs are pruned with little or no consideration as to whether they will be benefited by the operation. While symmetry and regularity of outline are to be admired in a shrub, these qualities should never be gained at the expense of natural grace and production of flowers. The judicious pruner will, therefore, aim at preserving the peculiar habit of each shrub as far as possible, while interfering but little with the production of flowers. The various species of Deutzia, Forsythia, Philadelphus and Weigela flower on the wood of the previous year’s growth; therefore such shrubs should be pruned immediately after the flowering season—say in June, but never in spring or winter—at least, if the production of flowers is to be taken into account. Again, the various species of Syringa, Spiræa, Lonicera and Hibiscus may safely be pruned during winter, the flowers being produced on the young wood; while Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora must be severely pruned in early spring, for only by so doing will the greatest wealth of flowers be produced. Chimonanthus fragrans should be pruned in February; while the various species of Ceanothus should not be touched till all danger of frost is past. Kerria japonica should be pruned in autumn, when old wood may be cut away.
All pruning operations should be carefully carried out with a sharp knife and not with the pruning shears, the point of amputation being always close to an eye or bud. Too severe pruning should be avoided, a judicious thinning out of the branches being far preferable to indiscriminate shearing and cutting back.
How and when to Prune.—The latter part of May or beginning of June is undoubtedly the best season for pruning the majority of hard-wooded trees, as during that time the motion of the sap is most vigorous, and in consequence the wounds caused by amputation heal most quickly. There are a few exceptions—the birch, sycamore and maple—where, on account of profuse bleeding, pruning had best be postponed till after full foliage has been attained.
Much mischief has been done by the pruning knife, and still more by the handbill and saw when placed in the hands of inexperienced workmen—a fact that is apparent to any interested person who visits various parts of the country.
When conducted with care, on sound principles, the effect of pruning on the class of timber referred to is highly beneficial, whereas, when done in a haphazard way and by an inexperienced hand, it is often attended with great danger and grave results.
In cutting or foreshortening small branches, a sharp pocket-knife will be found most convenient, but when large limbs have to be removed the pruning saw should be brought into request. The branch to be removed, especially if of large size and weighty, should first be cut through at any convenient distance from the main stem, thus preventing splitting and tearing of the bark, after which the stump may be neatly sawn through as close to the bole of the tree as possible. Undercutting by a few draughts of the saw will here also go far in preventing tearing of the wood and bark. So as to render the saw-cut smooth and prevent water lodging on the surface, the face and edge should be neatly dressed with an adze or sharp pruning knife, and then painted with tar. When cutting over an upright-growing branch, such as in pollarding trees, etc., never cut on the horizontal, but always in a sloping direction, so that the rain may pass off quickly.