Question
We have hackberry trees in our shelter belt that were pruned today.  (central SD)  The trees are 5 years old.  I notice numberous cuts that are "flush cuts", and am quite worried about them.  Are hackberry trees susceptible to canker?  Is there anything else that I should be watching for, if this does indeed hurt out trees?  Thank you.

Answer
Generally the cut for pruning should be a little less than flush but flush is a lot better than leaving a stub. The wound will heal itself over time. Do not use pruning paint or wound dressing on the wound this will slow the healing process. Depending on how large the limbs were will determine the rate of the wound healing.
There are not any cankers that would infect the wounds. If you keep the tree healthy by fertilizing it the wounds will close and keep decay fungi from entering the trunk. Use 1 lb of 10-10-10 fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree under the foliage and water in good. This fertilizing can be done now.