174 On the Dry Rot. 
surface of the body, was affected by the dry rot in its purest type.’ 
I removed this with my knife, and found that the disease had 
made its attack on the body of the tree itself. The tree, after 
the limb was taken off, became sickly, and its fruit, after it - 
gan to bear, was imperfect. 
I would here observe, that it is the common practice, when 
people cut the timber a a house frame, to do it in the winter, 
because, as they think, it will be more durable; but they will 
not trim their trees at that season because they know by experi- 
ence that they will contract the rot, and therefore they do it in 
the spring. What astrange oversight! But Doctor Ives, senior, 
of New Haven, goes even farther; he trims Azs trees in June, 
and thinks they do better at that season of the year because the 
wounds heal quicker. This is right, for as the cause of the dis- 
ease is not in the heart-wood at that season, so the remaining 
stump, being all heart-wood, can never be attacked by the dis- 
ease, and therefore the wound will heal quicker ; but if it is done 
in Doctnkbe:: the cause of the disease is in the heart-wood at the 
death of the limb, and as the stumps cannot be removed, the con- 
situated, may, by their abundant foliage, their extended branches, 
and their smooth and comely bodies, appear to be in perfect health, 
(which is sometimes the case,) yet they are doomed trees, for the 
canker having entered into their organization, is preying upon 
their very vitals, and will sooner or later prostrate them in the 
dust. If any accident should happen to a limb so as to break it 
off in the winter, no matter how small, if it be connected with 
the main pith of the tree, the effect would be the same. And 
hence the origin of what the carpenters call punk knots, that so 
often appear in our most valuable white pine mast sticks, and the 
indications of which on the outer surface is many times so minute 
as to deceive the most vigilant eye, but when perceived and traced, 
will lead to a mass of decay around the region of the pith. 
When I have known the period at which certain trees have 
been cut, and also their locality, I have afterwards, year after year; 
examined their stumps, and watched their decay, and have inva- 
riably found, that of those of them which were cut in the winter; 
the disease first made its appearance in the heart-wood, and con- 
tinued its ravages until that was destroyed, and up to that period 
the alburnum was comparatively sound. And of those that were 
