OBSERVATIONS UPON THE PHENOMENA OF PLANT-LIFE. 321 



the following season, because the branch is thereby gorged witli elaborated 

 material for which there is no outlet, and some persons habitually adopt this 

 mode of improving their fruit. 



A GIEDLED ORCHAKD. 



In the town of Southborough, Mass., is an apple orchard of healthy trees, 

 from twelve to sixteen inches in diameter, which were all girdled by the owner, 

 Mr. Trowbridge Brigham, in the spring of 1870, for the purpose of inducing 

 fruitfulness. The desired result is said to have been obtained, and the trees 

 seem to have suffered no material injury, owing to the imperfect manner in 

 which the operation was performed. At the time when the trees were in full 

 blossom, a narrow belt of bark, usually less than in inch in width, was removed 

 from the trunks, about two feet from the ground. This did not peel freely in 

 all cases, and there were many crevises where it was retained. By means of 

 these connecting links, the communication between the leaves and the root 

 was imperfectly preserved, and during the season new wood and bark were de- 

 veloped upon these places. In addition to this, in many cases, the new wood 

 from the upper side of the girdled spot Avas sufSciently abundant to reach 

 across and form a connection with the living bark below. 



Upon one of these trees was found a branch some four inches in diameter, 

 wiiich had been perfectly girdled in 1870, and, although no communication 

 had existed between the bark of the branch and that of the trunk, it had 

 grown every year till March, 1S74, when it was cut. The buds upon it were 

 poorly developed, but alive, and the ends of the branches were dead. It appar- 

 ently could not have survived more than a year or two longer, and the reason 

 was obvious upon making a longitudinal section through the girdled part. 

 The limb was nearly horizontal, and the ring of bark removed was only a few 

 inches from the trunk. New layers had formed each year up to the denuded 

 place, but the enlargement was more above this than below it. The material 

 to form new wood and bark below came from the other parts of the tree, and 

 yet, owing apparently to the poor circulation, was deficient in quantity. The 

 crude sap with some materials from other portions of the tree ascended to the 

 buds and leaves, and so an unhealthy growth was continued. An examination 

 of the figure representing a section of this branch will explain the cause of its 

 final failure. The wood through which the sap must ascend was gradually 

 dying, and thus the channel of communication was constantly becoming more 

 and more obstructed. On the whole, this method of treating orchards cannot 

 be recommended for general use. 



In regard to the length of time during which a perfectly girdled tree may 

 continue to live, we have obtained some facts worth recording. 



IN INDIA, 



it is necessary to girdle the teak trees the year before cutting them, in order 

 to have them die and lose a portion of their sap by evaporation, since other- 

 wise the logs will not float down the rivers to market. Kemoving a ring of 

 bark is not sufficient to accomplish this result, and it is necessary to cut 

 through all the sap-wood so as to prevent the ascent of water to the leaves. 



EFFECTS OF GIRDLING. 



Mr. W. F. Flint has communicated an interesting account of a beecli tree 

 about eighteen inches in diameter, which grew iu an open pasture in Eich- 

 moud, New Hampshire. It was girdled for the express purpose of killing it, 

 41 



