Which statement about the order of the three-cut method is accurate?

Which statement about the order of the three-cut method is accurate?

• A. The first cut is an undercut, followed by a top cut, then a back cut
• B. The method requires a single straight cut
• C. The method uses only two cuts
• D. The method is used to prune small twigs only

Answer: (A)

Understanding this technique is about controlling the limb and preventing bark tearing. You start with a notch on the underside of the limb (an undercut) a short distance from the trunk. This notch keeps the bark from tearing as you cut the rest. Then you make a top cut farther out to relieve the weight and guide the limb to fall cleanly. Finally, you finish with a back cut from underneath, just beyond the undercut, to remove the remaining section and let the limb drop without tearing more bark. This sequence—undercut, then top cut, then back cut—is why that statement is correct. The other options describe actions that aren’t how the three-cut method is performed, such as using a single straight cut, only two cuts, or pruning only small twigs.

Understanding this technique is about controlling the limb and preventing bark tearing. You start with a notch on the underside of the limb (an undercut) a short distance from the trunk. This notch keeps the bark from tearing as you cut the rest. Then you make a top cut farther out to relieve the weight and guide the limb to fall cleanly. Finally, you finish with a back cut from underneath, just beyond the undercut, to remove the remaining section and let the limb drop without tearing more bark. This sequence—undercut, then top cut, then back cut—is why that statement is correct. The other options describe actions that aren’t how the three-cut method is performed, such as using a single straight cut, only two cuts, or pruning only small twigs.