LEAFLET No. 35
GEORGE I. GARIN, Forester
Quality pine timber of sawlog size is
scarce. Its scarcity becomes more and more
apparent every year. At present most
timber in the South is cut and manufac-
tured into lumber before it grows to large
size. Second growth trees now cut for
sawlogs are small compared to the old
trees cut in the virgin stands. The lumber
sawed from these small trees is usually
knotty. Clear lumber is difficult to find
on the open market and it commands a
high price. Standing timber that will yield
clear logs is sold at a premium. Second
growth timber can yield quality logs pro-
vided the trees are pruned when young.
HOW CLEAR WOOD IS PRODUCED
in A TREE TRUNK
A tree grows in thickness each year by
producing new bark and wood between
the old bark and wood. When a tree trunk
is pruned clear, new wood grows over
the pruning scars. Outside of this wood
new bark is formed. Any additional growth
around the core of old wood is clear ma-
terial, that is free of knots. As long as
live branches are present there will be
tight or red knots in the wood. As the tree
grows and the lower branches are shaded
by other trees, these branches begin to die.
As long as dead branches persist on a tree
they become embedded in the trunk. This
will result in loose, or black knots being
present in the new wood that is added
every year.
NEED for ARTIFICIAL PRUNING
Trees grown in the open do not prune
themselves. Those that grow in dense
stands are pruned naturally, but this is a
slow process. In natural pruning very few
trees are completely pruned when small.
Only when limbs are completely gone is
knot-free wood produced. If this happens
after the tree trunks grow to sawlog size,
the knots are right under the bark even
in large logs. Loblolly and shortleaf pines
often retain their lower branches for as
long as 50 years. Slash and longleaf pines
keep their lower branches about half as
long.
If trees are pruned artificially, they can
be completely pruned when small. The
knots will be found in small woody cores
at the center. Such trees are very valu-
able. They can be sold for poles or piling
if they meet other required specifications.
If they are allowed to grow to sawlog size
they will yield clear lumber. Even the
center core can be squared into clear tim-
bers. The clear lumber produced usually
is sold for at least twice the price of ordi-
nary run of lumber.
Several pruning projects have been un-
AGRICULTURAl
of the ALABAMA
E. V. Smith, Director
L E X P E R I M E N T
POLYTECHNIC
STATION
INSTITUTE'
Auburn, Alabama
MARCH 1953
XX, %\ i t I11(, Ap iculltid lI,c*1iOll
Sfatio of the 11( labain(1 Poi h (111( Insti-
tilt( its it part of rescac i1(1 iohrcst1X . Nato-
rill lollill , \ 1( pill(, l stnd (1(2 pnic 111(21 XII
ft' f tl(5 XXIIr abou~t I inli 11 ill (
1
ii8((tir
As soon11 a' '01mc1 of the~ plittd pikn l\lch-
e t 8 it1((( si/c' prui plot,;121 wcre (stall)
lisloci iii p]JitatioII'. lPrlIinlg scas have
1(81(2(1 and2( prlllci, tr(5 are( no0w produe~-
inp knotf rci' XX 00(. 11( si/ce ofI 1115 ,1t
81(10(11( of c'lear lumber they' will vield.
WHAT TREES TO PRUNE
ml(1X g ((XXIIn ill AIlbiti (1 d airt 8 ifiilI
Ilpin \11 ]te 1(1 '081 to p101111( (21(211 wXood.
Whcu
1  
N (on sfands (If phil itre printed,
it shld~t 11(2 kpt in mjind it ull (I 100
to 1501 ticts per acrc will grow t o full
11111 ((iXy Those frees wxiii be hiiIXestedc
t. silXX 1(It its a final crop. The other
tr('(-s i I till st1and will cithler be' s118(((
oult and (1 t( o(r be cot ill tlininlis. It is
wXill 11ot 11( lelt to1 gro-w to 11r(1 si/ze. in
X iX ts, 5.I(cpllitclll'X (If millilI( of trees,
In g( 'st and1( fastes't growing l tp fr of s IIioc
f((l li, t1( ce of (l1Xt85, alnd XX itllott (h4I Ii''
or (11( loiltic n(' the2 f ones(1( to 1(11111(.
01l -('\1 I lic'Ifal plots it[ Aubulrn, an
Itclpt \\ itX made111( to scl(co 1001 cnop trees
soiii ofII thll trcees XX dama1118ged1 othei(rs
XX-I S diiXX (I(IXX1 Ifill thir groXXtb, and
nnflr of tr ees for final 1har1vest, more than
1001 trees per acre' il''id to 1be pruned.
\XiicI ciigit(0225 2Verlv in the
lif fc i sf8nd 11(1 a mii 11111 of i5(1 frlce
per a1cre( shlld be pinmned. LX,\c (2002(
frees per atcre XXoulcd not e l)l1( eclessive I
on,111wllr. Froimi thest', lillX cst trees will
Ie sc5(1 l 1o 1(1 t finlil ci op. '[lox arc
not cut iii periodic, interDIc'diate tilinnings
that take place before a harveX (st cut.
WHEN TO PRUNE
I' j'1 (111 ( i IWil (1111 in1 ilX I 5(111s Of
ftb II II X i It iif1 ul c f11c ts. Th e be'st
tic ii('ss ittI fccd abovXe the crooicl.
LIIllI 11)1IX'11( slaish pine plintat ions canl
bc pinicc for tile first timle at fbe age (If
onily 8 or1 10 cears. At that tillie the larg-
est a11( fastest growving frees are 15 feet
or 1101 iii height. They can be prulied
tiio'' it lit o 7 feet (Figure 1). llesealrcl
Icsit ('511( tha~X flt ong' frcees slioldl~ (lit
be( pi 1111(1 tlI M~ore thini (1111-haif of thir
ttl li('itfiit. If mocre thlan one' iif of
thir lngthl is (11 111(, flhe\- XXill slowX dlowXn
iII liciglif a1nd( dliameter growthfl.
WI li ft' fatstest growXIig flel S reh
a high~t o~f 35 feet or sliglitls os cr, thev
shll d bec pruned2( for tic list tillIc. 'fis
filial pri (11 opc(f(ration illiX con 01 a('8ffer the
FIGURE 1. Tii 17-foot, fast-growing tree
is being pruned from the ground up to 7
feet. This pruning height can be reached
conveniently with a hand pruning saw. A
free's growth is not retarded if less than
half of its total height is pruned.
lirst thlioiig of a1 )oln 001 ttlld. [iI pfllltI
tions this thiojug, operation can be pi
formod w' h xien trecc are 15 to 20 years old
Atr tining, x isibijtv in the stand is imo
prx ci and~ the st'i.ctioit of potintial crop
beecs is made easier. The primting opera-
111 'ioii faillitated by the creation of mmi(
adalteiI xxolin sl pace adjaeci't to th
L orp Ii em.
HOW TO PRUNE
I Trcs cani bc pinnitedi0 ii) operattimi
x ntiles attin a heighit oft '35 feet.
I iixxiete, it is lbctter and 10111etoxvenietl
to prone ttetit ill txx i or th rei stteesstx
opterationsm. IRegardless of the it tmoci all
pliedl, tr ees are pri nc cilto 17 feet aboks
tile 'grottnci. This xxiii p~roceiv a tree wxith.
I7 feet of its trunk fre'e ill hrantehes. XX he
the tree g(rows to maturitx it xxilx tell!
oInc standard 16 foot log that is free oi
knots. About a foot at the base of a t et
is aiioxx ec for a sttiiop and trill.
In pruning tr ees it is xvery importanlt
that branches, dead iii alix> he cut flush
FIGURE 2. A good pruning iot~ leaves tree
trunk clean of branches or branch stubs.
Tree trunk must not be injured or ragged
edges left where branches are cut.
FIGURE 3. This is how NOT to prune a
tree. Branch stubs will persist for many
years. New wood added in an outside
ring around core of old wood will have
black knots. Lumber sawed from this
wood will be degraded.
xx lii tlt( tn ' ltiuks (Figurc 2). Care
should lo' v cisci tot to injure the truink.
The I cutt shld 11( i axe Ito stubs or ragged
c,(lt'(s I 'igiit t 3). Improper pruning that
eavesx branch l stubs or suflunsi damages
the truinks is far wxorse than no artificial
pru'Lning.
The ibeist toil to ii xi' is a special p)ruining
ixx . 'lis sawxx has a tai ur1 hiacdc, and
ruts onl a pull stroke. Such a saxv can
heobitained xxitih a speeial ihcad titat itoicds
it rIi'tiix to tiic cletac'iabule handccs. Thce
dletaci ~hibe handles ate tmaclc of tough btt
ltglit woomd. Abiointi itaticles especially
tlesialcl for the purpose are xvcry light.
hutt ar1e motre expensixve. 'The samne saxx'
1(an 1)e otounted onl a single ibit axe ban-
l~e. This type of saxv, nained for tue
m an whou dcxveloped it, is caiic'd the Meylan
pruting saxv ( Figctre 4). It is exception-
alily wxeli adapted for icaching to the
,,round and tip to a hecight of 9l! feet.
\Ianx other ttols are sotoetittics used tot
prunling, butt none are as good as a prcin-
A
FIGURE 4. Shown here is the Maylan saw,
which was especially designed to prune
trees in forest stands. It is highly re-
commended for this purpose.
ing aw.~ -\i iv' is particular]\- had ic-
I anis it injuires the tree trunk. It shouild
tw r he use d for pr inting.
PRUNING IN ONE OPERATION
til the potential crop trees reach a heighit
of 35 feet, the entire printing job canl he
accomished in one operation. This %
he donc with a prunling saw attached l
a handle that is about 1.3 feet long. Io
avoid the inconv enience of a long handh(
a second saw with a short handle canl ic
carried at tile same time. This iteliod of
pruning leaves a relativcly large iintril
core of kuottV'5 Wood inl tie first lo,-,
THREE-STEP METHOD of PRUNING
To girow trees So that the first 
log't
would have a very small knotty core, it
is necessary to commence pruning when
trees are about 4 inches in diameter at
breast height. When the fastest gi 055in-g
trees are 15 to 20 feet in height, thiey
r
FIGURE 5. A good, fast-growing, 28-foot
tree is pruned to a height of 12 feet.
Intermediate pruning to this height re-
quire s approximately a 7-foot handle on
the pruning saw.
I I mid he prunted to a hinaght ot 7 feet
( Figure I ). This first pruning jobl can
lie easily d](it(- w it h a pru ning saw to
wh11ich is attach edl an o1rdi nary handgrip
handle (Tabie 1).
Assooii as the tces ireac h a height of
25 feet or inoi. tilex can ill pruind for the
second time. At this timue they should he
pruned to a lleilglt of 12 feet from the
(,round. F'or this Opeliatioii it 15ils (ovcii
to utse it pruiml, siss x ith at 7-foot hlalilc
Figuire 5).
XX ion tile best ti iis inl at ost stand1(
II:35 feet ill height, a thiird pruniing to
at heighlt of 17 feet is doiie. This is the
LMs and final pruning. For this opera-
lion it is coils nient to use, a pruning saw
xx thi a 1.3-foot huandhle (Fil~uic 6).
Ill addition to becing eons enient, there
ille certain advixantages to tiuree-step
p]l iiig. In th e earls%' promning of the three-
.step method, limb~s aire cut wxhen they iire
still smuall ( Figure 7 ). Tile pruning 
thlere-
fore can he (lone rapidly and economnicaliy.
A further advantage of the early pruning
is that many branches affected by southein
fusiform rust are removed before the dis-
ease progresses into the trunk of the tree
.
It is only in the trunks that this rust causes
alppreciable dnimige the 11 tr
TWO-STEP METHOD of PRUNING
One operation can be eliminated in
prlunillg by using the two-step method.
Initial pruning is delayed until the best
trees are 20 to 25 feet in height. At that
time they are pruned to a height of P
feet or slightly more. This 
operation re-
quires the use 
of the \Ieylan 
pruning saw
to make it convenient (Figure 4).
For the second and final 
pruning, trees
illust be '35 feet inl height. A prluning saw
with a 13-foot handle will be needed. The
trees are pruned from 9'2 feet to 17 feet
FIGURE 7. This slash pine plantation needs
(Table 1). pruning. 
Early initial pruning would have
This method of pruning leaves only at left 
lower parts of tree trunks free of
slightly larecr knotty core 
in the first lo
0  
branches. Trees would 
then have com-
menced to grow clear wood and would
have first log with a very small knotty
*, core.
of a tree. It is a very good method and
it requires somewhat less labor than the
three-step method. Either method can be
used. The choice depends on the person
A' doin the pruning, amount of money to
I}w tl, and the prodit to Ihe lars(ctd.
COST of PRUNING
It takes from 1 to 4 minutes for each
step in pruning a tree. To prune a tree to
17 feet requires from 5 to 9 minutes total
time. It takes more time to prune large
trees than small ones. Trees grown in
the open with many limbs (Figure 8) re-
quire considerable more time for pruning
thian trees grown in thick stands.
SAny pruning above 17 feet increases the
cost very rapidly. In addition, a second
log in a tree is always smaller than the
FIGURE 6. Being pruned here is a tree of first. This means 
that by pruning higher
a little over 36 feet in total height. A than 17 feet, a relatively small amount of
pruning saw equipped with 13-foot handle 
clear wood will be produced at a high
is used in this final pruning. This tree cost. Pruning above 
17 feet is not recom-
will grow clear wood of premium quality
in the first log for rest of its 
life. mended.
[5]
0 RFT fo 
RNN
14
4r I ~ ' irunitig fast groxving tree an heI con-
sidered :n investment that wilpyits
butt logs \ill be free ofknots. Clear log~s
~ xill ie eonsce titiInto high grade iiiimber.
..... . ... tltip, 
a tiltiltr bus er xwiil gceeailk pax
* ,i primuon price for such timiber. l in
\\Sil lf ordl to do so ite~tise hei \\ill re-
cx i a igher price for the big1hor grade
I ailbir saxiccl from imatuiie tiees pruned
Aa a o 
age xxili bring one, and one-
$10 a thousand over the regular stiumpage
mu a price piruing xxiii be profIitale. \Xhin a
FIGURE 8. Trees grown in open stands tiinbei1 Ntanid of saxxlog Ni is harxvested,
have many large branches, and produce Nereal thtousandt boaid bect are cut per
only inferior lumber when harvested. The ci u. lhe lainibwnenr \x\ill realize a sizable
cost of pruning large trees is excessive. ieunfor 
thte fexx hii irN tihat it takes to
Pruning should be done when trees ore
small. 
pirlne trues xxMien titex are Nsmall.
SUMMARY and
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Second-growth pines need to be
pruned to produce clear wood. Natural
pruning is too slow and irregular.
2. All four pines commonly grown in
Alabama should be pruned when they are
small in order to produce clear wood.
3. From 150 to 200 of the best and fast-
est growing trees should be pruned on each
acre.
4. Initial pruning should be done when
trees are 3 to 5 inches in diameter and
15 to 20 feet tall.
5. It is recommended that pruning be
done by either the two- 
or three- step
method. These methods result in free-
dom from limbs for 17 feet of a tree's
trunk. At no time should over half of
the total height of a growing tree be
pruned.
6. All branches, dead or alive, must 
be
cut clean and flush with the tree trunk.
Injuries to the tree trunks must be 
avoided.
7. A special pruning saw with provis-
ion for attaching long handles is recom-
mended for pruning.
8. Pruning of small trees does not take
much time. A good return is realized for
this work when mature timber is sold 
at
a premium price.
TABLE 1. PRUNING RECOMMENDATIONS 
FOR SLASH AND LOBLOLLY PINES
(150 to 200 best trees per acre should 
be pruned)
Pruning Pruning Length 
of Size of best trees in a young 
stand
method height saw 
handle Height D.b.h.
Feet Feet 
Feet Inches
Three-step 1- 7 
1 15-20 
3-4
7-12 7 
25-30 4-5
12-17 13 
35-40 5-8
Two-step 1- 95 
2'2 20-25 3-5
95,1-17 13 
35-40 5-8
1 Handgrip type
2 Meylan saw
[7'