PRUNING DISEASED TREES 67 



with tar at the same time that the pollarding took 

 place. Of course young trees respond more 

 quickly to pruning than do old specimens, but 

 there are few instances, even in hollow and 

 diseased elms and oaks, in which at least 

 temporary benefit will not result from judicious 

 removal of dead and injured wood. 



Special attention has been directed to the 

 treatment of trees in some of the Royal parks, 

 as they furnish excellent object-lessons of the 

 good results that are to be obtained by pruning, 

 while the grounds, being pleasantly and centrally 

 situated, are visited by large numbers of in- 

 terested persons. 



There can be no doubt that the removal of 

 dead and dying timber has a most beneficial 

 effect on the health of a tree, be it young or 

 old. Trees, generally speaking, are wonder- 

 fully recuperative and quickly respond to 

 attention in the matter of repairs to injuries 

 and judicious and well-directed pruning. 



The latter in particular causes a tree, if at 

 all healthy, to send out fresh growths near the 

 points at which branches were removed, and 

 in the case of the elm often all over the stem. 



