58 TREE WOUNDS AND DISEASES 



decaying bark and injured wood attract myriads 

 of insects and fungi, which hasten disease and 

 often cause the death of the tree. Instead, 

 therefore, of refastening the injured and 

 loosened bark to the stem, it should be care- 

 fully removed quite back to the living bark, 

 bearing in mind that, even where a piece of 

 bark is adhering to the stem, without a living 

 shoot it cannot survive. 



With old and diseased trees it is well to 

 occasionally examine the bark by tapping, as 

 frequently large patches, particularly near 

 ground level, become separated from the trunk. 

 Such dead portions should be entirely re- 

 moved till contact with the living bark is 

 established, and the underlying wood painted 

 with two coats of tar. Bark-shedding is 

 most often associated with trees that have 

 become unhealthy through soil or atmo- 

 spheric conditions. 



Snow, especially when in a moist condition 

 and the fall heavy, does considerable damage 

 to trees and shrubs by breaking the tops and 

 branches and injuring the bark. Amongst 

 ornamental trees the evergreen oak and Lebanon 



