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■ • e l. the forest. Family B knew better. They realized that a tree in footsteps. It most likely is not enjoying the optimum the yard or along a street is not growing there because conditions of sunlight or shade, and it certainly does not have ecological sorting matched its needs to the site. It is there the advantage of forest neighbors to shield it from wind, because it was planted there; Nature's method was prune its lower branches, and form the outline of its crown. circumvented. The new transplant is probably on poor soil In short, it needs help. that is then subjected to the trampling of hundreds of FAMILY B's TREE , rf Pruned When Young \ . ' Y ,,,, 1 F. • I i / V ; ,i�� 1 , , N, I / pr / ... \ i ., ..,_-__-_--- , �1 n It ' „ a 1� I 1 41 ll At Planting After 3-4 Years After 5 -7 Years 15 Years After Family B also By now root growth should Now is the time to make a Planting planted their tree cor- be well on its way to anchor- good tree even better. Lower Family B was amazed to see their rectly, but they also no- ing the transplant and ex- limbs are pruned off to tree survive a major wind storm one ticed a broken branch panding to the size necessary "raise" the bottom of the summer day. While many other trees and a branch that was to nourish the growing crown well out of the way of in the neighborhood suffered split competing with the branches. Family B decides to human heads. The lowest tops and broken limbs, their's stood leader. Both were cut off the root suckers and Limbs are now the permanent strong and firm. Proper pruning pruned close to the sprouts in the crown. Other lowest limbs. An important gave strength to the branches and trunk. Another, swollen excessive branches are fact is recognized here. allowed the wind to pass harmlessly from the sting of an in- thinned to reduce competi- Branches do not move upward through the thinned crown. Early sect laying eggs la gall), tion for light, water and nutri- as a tree grows taller. The cen- each spring, the tree gets scruti- was snipped off. Other- ents, and a co- dominant ter of a branch at 5 feet will nixed and dead or damaged limbs wise, all branches were leader is removed. A few of always be at 5 feet. are cut off using proper pruning left intact to provide the lowest limbs are also re- Higher up, a few over- methods. Otherwise, Family B has maximum leaf surface moved, but others are tempo - zealous branches are cut only to enjoy the beauty and shade to manufacture food rarily left to help the trunk back so they do not protrude of their tree. And what do you during the fast year of develop more taper and beyond the graceful outline of know? Just before they moved re- life in its new home. strength. the crown. A branch here and cently, the real estate agent told Growth is far enough along there is removed for more them it was the trees in their yard !`:_. to reveal problems develop- even spacing — but basically that helped sell the property ing such as branches that rub the job of sculpturing the tree so quickly or are growing in an undesir- is now complete. able direction. Narrow angles are also eliminated for rea- Sons explained on page 4. TREE CITY USA BULLETIN No. 1 • National Arbor Day Foundation • 3