OLD AND REMARKABLE TREES IN BRITAIN. 263 



The causes of what maybe styled, for want of a better epithet, " back- 

 wardness " in large or old trees, ai'e frequently obscure and puzzling. 

 It may arise from many sources, such as exposure to sudden ex- 

 tremes of temperature in spring, chilling the young foliage, and 

 stuntingits development to such an extent as seriously to interfere with 

 the leaf functions for the season. The penetration of the rootlets into 

 an ungenial substratum or subsoil, inimical to the further progress of 

 the tree, is another cause of "backwardness" in large trees ; and this is 

 one of the most difficult and fruitful sources of mischief with which the 

 arborist has to contend. Defective root action, arising from bad 

 drainage, or from a water-logged state of the young spongioles and 

 rootlets, also frequently tends to incipient stagnation of wood forma- 

 tion and to a hide-bound unhealthy appearance of bark, resulting 

 shortly in a "stag-headed" condition of the upper branchlets. 

 Eecently transplanted trees of large size are peculiarly prone to suffer 

 from this last form of " backwardness" through the interference with 

 the rootlets in the process of removal and subsequent drought. 



One of the first symptoms of a check having been sustained in 

 the continued progressive vigour of any tree, is an appearance of 

 scanty foliage during the summer months along the very top of the 

 upper branches and at their extremities. If this is allowed to go on, 

 in another season these outer and upper branches present a bare, 

 dead appearance, appropriately called " stag-headedness" from the 

 resemblance of these denuded branches to the antlers of a deer. 

 Trees in exposed situations are most liable to suffer from this evil, 

 especially if the subsoil be shallow, and of a cold damp nature. The 

 remedy therefore lies in stimulating, by such artificial means as 

 suggest themselves, according to the soil and situation and nature of 

 the tree, the action of its vegetative poAvers, and the formation of 

 cellular tissue at such extremities of the branches as have become 

 bare and dead like. This will be found to be almost invariably 

 attained by giving the tree, around its trunk and for a space outwards 

 as far as the outer tiers of branches overshadow, a liberal mulching 

 of fresh loam or soil of a friable nature. By such an application to 

 the soil, increased energy is imparted to the more fibrous roots, which 

 are always situated nearest the surface of the ground, and any lack 

 of chemical food-agents in which the site of the tree may be deficient, 

 from long occupation and consequent exhaustion, will be supplied. 

 The application of such fresh soil may be made at any season of the 

 year. Autumn is probably the most advantageous period, and it may 

 consist of road scrapings in a loose, well-turned over, friable con- 



VOIi. VII. PART III. T 



