44 TREE WOUNDS AND DISEASES 



Periodical examinations of all bands and con- 

 necting rods should be made, oftenest in the 

 case of young and fast-growing trees, to see that 

 loosening of the collars is not required, and 

 that the packing has not become shifted by the 

 swaying to and fro of the trunk and branches 

 during stormy weather. A coat of paint or 

 tar, given every fourth year, will go far in pre- 

 serving the iron bands. In no case must the 

 band be allowed to get embedded in the trunk 

 or branch around which it is placed, and in 

 order to obviate such an evil the band, as 

 before stated, must be divided into two 

 parts for ease in loosening, should such be 

 required. 



It occasionally happens, as in the famous 

 beech tree at Knole Park, and oaks at Wei- 

 beck, that owing to age and decay the whole 

 tree is in danger of falling, and in such cases 

 the only remedy is to apply props, or wire the 

 main stem to adjoining trees where these are 

 within reach. In such cases great care must 

 be exercised that the stays, whether of wood 

 or wire, be placed in such positions that the 

 stability of the tree is ensured. 



