INJURED BARK 55 



often liable to injuries, and are, fortunately, 

 most readily attended to. The soil should be 

 removed from around the decaying root, the 

 diseased portion with the loose bark cut back 

 to the healthy wood, and the whole painted, 

 first with an antiseptic, and finally, when quite 

 dry, with coal-tar. Should the tree have 

 suffered much in health from the injuries, 

 branch pruning and enriching the soil amongst 

 the roots will often be found beneficial. 



As well as the above, there are many other 

 causes that bring about the loss of bark and 

 an unhealthy condition or the death of a tree. 

 Some of these are natural decay, an escape of 

 gas and poisoning of the soil around the roots, 

 and piling earth around the stem. The latter 

 is a fruitful cause of decay and death, and if 

 the soil is of sufficient depth the trees may 

 succumb in from eighteen months to two 

 years. Where railways are being constructed 

 or large quantities of soil dealt with in the 

 carrying out of ground work improvements, 

 injury to trees by piling it around the stems 

 most commonly takes place. 



Where depositing soil on the roots and 



